Heikkilä confirmed on Wednesday that he will take part in a six-event programme in the WRC2 category in the upcoming season. Over the past two years, the 32-year-old driver has been competing in the European Rally Championship.
Heikkilä’s season will begin in February at Rally Sweden. His schedule also includes gravel rallies in Portugal, Sardinia, Greece, Estonia, and Finland.
“We have been aiming for the WRC, and our plan is now coming to fruition. After winning the Finnish Championship in 2022, we decided to focus on two seasons mainly in the ERC and make the jump to the WRC in 2025, if at all possible,” Heikkilä explained.
“We’ve participated in WRC events every year, but this time the plan is to compete in multiple rallies and score points. It has taken a lot of hard work throughout the autumn and early winter to reach this point. I’m really looking forward to the upcoming season,” Heikkilä said with excitement.
Last year, Heikkilä drove a Toyota Rally2 car, but he will now switch to a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2. The car will be managed by TGS Motorsport, led by Toni Gardemeister.
Heikkilä’s co-driver Kristian Temonen will continue in his role, despite having a busy year ahead. In addition to the WRC, Temonen will also compete in the Finnish Rally Championship as the co-driver for Benjamin Korhola.
“The collaboration with Kristian works well, and he’s a trusted partner. Returning to TGS feels like coming home, and I’m thrilled to race with Toni’s team. We raced three full seasons domestically, and even last year we did two rallies with TGS. The team is familiar, and the quality of service is top-notch,” Heikkilä commented.
The WRC2 category is expected to be highly competitive this year, with top names like Oliver Solberg and Yohan Rossel leading the charge.
“It will take a strong effort because the level is even tougher this year. The goals are undoubtedly high, and as we saw last year, when everything clicks, we can compete with the factory drivers,” Heikkilä said, referencing his second-place finish in WRC2 at Rally Latvia last season.
“The primary goal is to get the best out of myself and the entire team, and turn that into peak performance. And yes, I’m definitely aiming for a WRC medal,” Heikkilä concluded.
