Big news for Finnish rally talent – Emil Lindholm’s WRC future confirmed

Emil Lindholm will continue competing in the World Rally Championship.
Reeta Hämäläinen and Emil Lindholm
Reeta Hämäläinen and Emil Lindholm. Photo: Sebateam
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On Tuesday, it was confirmed that Lindholm and his co-driver, Reeta Hämäläinen, will return to the cockpit of Toksport’s Skoda. The duo competed last season in the WRC2 category with Hyundai’s Rally2 car, but without major success.

Lindholm and Hämäläinen will once again take part in the WRC2 championship, with their season set to begin in April at Rally Islas Canarias.

For this season, Lindholm had several options on the table, and after discussions with his partners, he chose to return to WRC2 with a familiar team and car. Over the past two years, the pair had been representing Hyundai.

“It feels great to return to Toksport and Skoda, with whom we won the WRC2 title in 2022. I was also involved in the development of the Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, so both the car and the team are already familiar to me,” Lindholm said.

“In the meantime, Skoda has likely evolved even further, and we will see and experience its current performance in our first tests.”

Lindholm explained that his primary goal was to compete in WRC2 and take part in as many events as possible. Since Hyundai no longer offered a WRC2 programme, he and his team decided on their new direction.

“I want to sincerely thank Hyundai Motorsport for the opportunity to be part of a top-tier WRC team. The past one and a half years have been incredibly educational, and it has been fantastic to gain seat time in a Rally1 car, as well as invaluable experience on how a leading WRC team operates,” Lindholm expressed.

The 2025 WRC season has already begun, with Rally Monte-Carlo taking place just over a week ago. Next up is Rally Sweden next week, but Lindholm will have to wait a little longer to kick off his campaign.

“I would have loved to compete in Sweden, but I am also really looking forward to starting my season in Rally Islas Canarias. The WRC has been missing a proper pure asphalt rally for the past few years, and now we finally have one with Rally Islas Canarias making its WRC debut. For someone with a background in circuit racing, this is an exciting event,” Lindholm said.

Lindholm and Hämäläinen will compete in at least five WRC events in 2025. Their season will begin in April in the Canary Islands, followed by Rally Sardinia in June. Naturally, Rally Finland will also be part of their programme.

“We will compete in at least five WRC rallies, and the rest of our schedule will be confirmed after Rally Finland,” Lindholm stated.

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