With a composed and focused performance, Finnish driver Teemu Suninen secured the FIA European Rally Championship title at the British ERC event, Rali Ceredigion. Second place was enough for him to clinch the championship, having held the position comfortably for most of the rally. He therefore secured the title with one round still remaining in the championship.
The Finnish crew of Teemu Suninen and Antti Haapala, competing in a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 run by The Racing Factory, claimed the coveted European title in Britain. In addition to facing his rivals, Suninen also had to deal with health issues before the start of the rally, having felt unwell on Wednesday.
“I was quite ill, but in the end, we managed to do a good job and learned a lot. Overall, it was a good season for us, and we performed really well on asphalt,” said Suninen at the finish. He brings the European crown back to Finland for the first time since 2014 and succeeds last year’s champion Miko Marczyk. It is therefore another championship title for a driver competing in a Škoda rally car.
Just as in Britain, Suninen’s title-winning campaign was built on consistency and strong performances throughout the season. He finished fourth in the opening round in Spain, claimed second place in Italy and took victory in Poland against strong competition from local drivers. Second-place finishes in the Czech Republic and Wales mean that none of his rivals can overtake him in the standings at the final round of the season in Portugal.
However, Suninen still had to deliver a highly concentrated performance at Rali Ceredigion. Before the start, he admitted a lack of experience on damp asphalt, a characteristic feature of the event’s special stages. This became evident during the rally when, towards the end of the event, Suninen spun out in a tricky corner on a less-than-dry section of road and slightly damaged his Fabia RS Rally2.Fortunately, the damage was not serious, and the Finnish crew was able to continue.
They then sealed their victory by winning the final super special stage. Throughout the rally, only Kris Meeke and co-driver Noel O’Sullivan Jr. were faster. However, Meeke was not contesting the overall ERC title, and this was his only appearance in the championship this season.
Joining them on the podium was last year´s champion Miko Marczyk. The Polish driver did not enjoy the ideal start to the season with his Fabia RS Rally2 but significantly improved his performances during the second half of the campaign. Nevertheless, it was not enough to retain the title. Marczyk can still fight for the runner-up spot at the season-ending event in Portugal.
Two more Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 crews finished inside the top ten in Britain. Max McRae and co-driver Cameron Fair claimed fourth place. For the nephew of rally legend Colin McRae, it was also his first appearance in the European championship this season. Romanian crew Simone Tempestini and Francesca Maria Maior secured eighth place in Wales. Polish driver Jakub Matulka and co-driver Damian Syty were also on course for a strong result but retired early in Sunday’s programme following an error. Despite the setback, Matulka still has a chance of finishing fourth overall in the championship standings, although Tempestini has now moved closer in the battle for that position.
