Asunmaa to win his sixth Finnish Rally Championship
01.10.2023
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Teemu Asunmaa and Ville Mannisenmäki in SM Kokkola Ralli. Photo: Taneli Niinimäki.
Teemu Asunmaa, co-driven by Ville Mannisenmäki, have won the Finnish Rally Championship. The premier category championship is fourth overall for the TGS Skoda Motorsport Finland driver. Asunmaa finished second in the season finale, which was enough to secure the title.
The rally opened on Friday with three special stages. Asunmaa started the day off strong and tied for the rally lead with Jari Huttunen by the end of the day.
For the season-ending day of Saturday Asunmaa set out for the fourth SM1 Finnish championship and sixth overall. On the opening stage Asunmaa dropped to second by 0,7 seconds, but the Skoda driver retook the lead on the sixth stage of the rally. On the longest special stage of the rally, SS8 Markby 1, Asunmaa went fastest strengthening his lead to 10 seconds.
As the night fell the longest loop of the rally was ahead. The Pirelli driver won SS9 by 2,5 seconds, but on the penultimate stage Asunmaa was dropped to second due to fogging of the windshield.
The season ending 22,88 kilometres long Markby 2 was the decider. Tailing the leader by 1,5 seconds but still the title in his grips, Asunmaa managed to keep his second position, which was awarded with a championship.
-It’s impossible to put this to words. What an event! It’s something you’d only see in movies. There were so many variables on play here, and the fogging almost changed everything. The conditions were one of the hardest in my career. I would have never thought before the rally, that we’d win like this. Feels amazing to win after a rally like this!
Asunmaa’s fourth SM1 category and sixth overall championship in the FRC was hard fought, made possible by team effort and the support of cooperation partners.
-A massive thank you to our cooperation partners and our service crew, they worked hard and flawlessly today. It’s been a great season, thank you to everyone.
SM Kokkola Ralli results
1. Juha Salo 54:57,7 Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo
2. Teemu Asunmaa +7,7 Skoda Fabia RS Rally2
3. Jari Huttunen +20,8 Skoda Fabia RS Rally2
4. Lauri Joona +54,6 Skoda Fabia RS Rally2
5. Heikki Kovalainen 3:14,5 Skoda Fabia RS Rally2
Unofficial SM1 point standings
1. Teemu Asunmaa 122 pts Skoda Fabia RS Rally2
2. Jari Huttunen 120 pts Skoda Fabia RS Rally2
3. Lauri Joona 119 pts Skoda Fabia RS Rally2
4. Juha Salo 119 pts Skoda Fabia RS Rally2
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