WRC 2
Suninen stays steady to take WRC2 honours in Portugal
Teemu Suninen claimed the eighth WRC2 victory of his career at Vodafone Rally de Portugal on Sunday, putting his 2022 heartbreak on the event firmly behind him.
Suninen started the final day with the narrowest of margins, just 0.9sec clear of Jan Solans. But the Finn used all of his experience to avoid any repeat of 2022, when he crashed out on the rally-ending Fafe Wolf Power Stage, eventually winning by 45.6sec from fellow Finn Roope Korhonen.
This time, it was Solans who hit trouble on Sunday. With Suninen extending the gap to more than 18sec through the opening loop, the Spaniard’s victory hopes ended on the penultimate stage when he went off in his Škoda Fabia RS Rally2. He lost more than two minutes and dropped to fourth.
Victory marked Suninen’s first WRC2 win in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, as well as his first alongside co-driver Janni Hussi. The 32-year-old also claimed the FORUM8 Stage Win Winners Award after setting the fastest WRC2 time on seven of the weekend’s 23 stages.
"It feels really great," said Suninen. "We haven't been on the gravel for two years, so it's a great return with this car on the gravel. And a great thing for my career to show that we still have a good pace and we are hard workers and hopefully that brings something good."
Korhonen’s second podium finish of the season launched the former WRC3 champion into a share of the WRC2 championship lead, remarkably creating a three-way tie with brothers Yohan and Léo Rossel.
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Yohan Rossel failed to add to his season points tally in Portugal after crashing out of contention on Saturday during the Lancia Ypsilon HF Integrale Rally2’s WRC2 gravel debut.
Veteran Andreas Mikkelsen brought home another strong points finish for Toksport WRT, completing the podium in his Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 one place ahead of Solans. Paraguayan driver Fabrizio Zaldivar was next home, recording his second top-five finish in as many starts this season.
There was also reason to celebrate for reigning Junior WRC champion Mille Johansson, who achieved his best WRC2 finish to date by taking sixth in his Ford Fiesta Rally2. He held off the vastly experienced Eric Camilli, while Matteo Chatillon, Bernhard ten Brinke and Gus Greensmith rounded out the top 10.
Paulo Neto was the only WRC Masters Cup competitor to complete the weekend.
