FIA JUNIOR WRC COMPETITORS PREPARE TO TAKE FLIGHT IN FINLAND!
Following their trip to Poland, the FIA Junior WRC drivers are heading north to take on the super-fast special stages of Rally Finland. With two wins under their belts in the first two outings of the season, Simone Tempestini and Giovanni Bernacchini will be looking to pull away from the rest of the field.
The FIA Junior WRC, which is contested at the six European rounds of the World Rally Championship, will reach the mid-season mark at Rally Finland. This third gravel rally of the season, after Portugal and Poland, will be followed by two on asphalt; in Germany and Corsica, before the championship concludes in Great Britain in late October.
Finland’s special stages have a reputation for being the fastest of the season, and are famous above all for their jumps, which can send the cars flying tens of metres through the air. The course is varied, however, with some sections more technically demanding than others as it winds its way through the fields and forests around Jyväskylä. And while the surface is not considered particularly brittle, the JWRC competitors will nevertheless have to cope with stones being spat out by their four-wheel drive vehicles.
Thus far, the leading light of the FIA Junior WRC has been Simone Tempestini. Having successfully negotiated the pitfalls of the first two meetings, the Italian leads the standings with a maximum 50 points. And as he said after Rally Poland, he intends to continue in the same vein so that he can go into the asphalt rallies with confidence. Nothing can be taken for granted, however, as Simone knows only too well, having crashed off in the corresponding rally in 2015.
His nearest rival is Terry Folb, another man who has produced two very intelligent races so far. Third in Portugal, then second in Poland, the Frenchman will have to raise his game if he wants to be in contention for a win. Conversely, Ole Christian Veiby, who currently lies third in the overall standings, was unable to secure a big points haul despite performing at a very high level. Having finished on the podium in Finland last year, the Norwegian will be aiming for victory.
Rewarded for his Citroën Racing Trophy France title with a racing programme in the FIA Junior WRC, Vincent Dubert is, for the time being, competing for the minor places. However, at a rally he has already raced in, back in 2012, the Marseille driver will be trying to keep pace with the leaders this time around. Romain Martel, who is working hard to get to grips with the unique challenges of the World Championship rallies, will be another man with similar goals.
Second in Portugal, Martin Koci was forced to abandon in Poland after crashing off in the shakedown. To revive his title ambitions, the Czech will have to produce a memorable performance and halt Tempestini’s winning run.
In the leading pack at the start of Rally Poland, Mohamed Al Mutawaa will want to confirm his improving form with a convincing result. Last year, the driver supported by Abu Dhabi Racing finished sixth in the land of a thousand lakes.
The luckless Lukas Pieniazek and Andrea Crugnola will be looking to put their seasons back on the rails in Finland. The Italian, in particular, will be worth watching closely, having led the race in Poland before being slowed down by a litany of problems.
The list of competitors is completed by a Finn, whom AKK Sports Ltd. chose as their “Future star” in a talent-spotting operation. At 19 years of age, Juuso Nordgren was selected for his performance in the Finnish Championship. As part of his prize, Nordgren has been provided with a DS 3 R3-MAX and is having all his expenses paid for him (assistance, Michelin tyres, fuel, competition costs, pre-rally testing sessions, coaching and media relations).
Rally Finland will get under way on Thursday 28 July with a super special stage in Jyväskylä. From Friday to Sunday, the FIA Junior WRC competitors will battle it out in three long stages spanning a total of 333 km.
FOUR DS 3 R5s IN THE WRC2 LINEUPOf the twenty teams competing in WRC2, four race in a DS 3 R5. Reigning FIA Junior WRC champions Quentin Gilbert and Renaud Jamoul will contest their fifth rally of the season in the car prepared by the DG Sport team. Yoann Bonato/Denis Giraudet, Emil Bergkvist/Joakim Sjoberg and Pierre-Louis Loubet/Vincent Landais will also be continuing their season in Finland.
