Following an
intense shootout in Poland, Suvi emerged as one of three drivers selected from
a pool of 15 finalists to compete in the FIA World Rally Championship Central
European Rally, with a full season in the FIA Junior WRC on the line for the
winner.
And CER was no
ordinary event; widely considered one of the most challenging on the WRC tour, it
was a daunting prospect for any debut. Spanning demanding Tarmac stages across
Austria the Czech Republic and Germany, the rally posed multiple firsts for the
24-year-old: her first rally outside Finland, her first experience on Tarmac,
and her inaugural outing in a four-wheel-drive Rally3.
"It was a lot of first times," she
reflected, adding that the challenge only fuelled her excitement. "But it
was really enjoyable to drive on Tarmac with the Rally3; I liked the
stages."
The smooth yet challenging roads and changeable
grip levels were a stark contrast to the gravel stages she’s familiar with in
Finland, yet Suvi faced the Tarmac head-on and the M-Sport Poland Fiesta Rally3
was a notable step up from her own example.
“It was clearly a big change to my Fiesta,
which is front-wheel-drive and not as powerful,” she explained. “It was hard to
process how fast you could go into corners. But the car was amazing to drive,
and the grip level was incredible when it was dry and clean.”
One of the highlights for Suvi was the
ceremonial side of CER, which she described as an incredible, new experience.
“It’s not something I do every day,” she
joked. From signing autographs to sharing the stage with rally stars like
Sébastien Ogier, Thierry Neuville, and fellow Finn Sami Pajari, Suvi soaked in
the energy of rally fans.
“It was great to see so many people there. It
was a really nice new experience, and I even met some Finnish people there
which made me feel at home.”
Though she wasn’t able to make it to the
finish due to technical difficulties, Suvi feels that the experience has
offered unrivalled preparation for the future. Undeterred, she is eager to take
all that she learned from CER and apply it to her journey ahead.
“I'll definitely apply for the Beyond Rally
Programme again next year. I think it’s a great programme and I can recommend
it to every motorsport girl! Big thanks to WRC Promoter
and M-Sport Poland for the opportunity and best of luck to Claire [Schönborn]
and Lyssia [Baudet] in Sweden!”
While Suvi’s debut
at CER didn’t go exactly as planned, the invaluable experience has lit a new
spark in her rally career. With unfinished business, she’s determined to use
this momentum into the 2025 season and beyond.
Japan
Poland
Turkey