Last season, Suninen had the opportunity to compete in four WRC events, showing consistent improvement.
Suninen drove Hyundai’s Rally1 car in Estonia, Finland, Chile, and Central Europe. His performance, especially on gravel rallies, was on an upward trajectory. In Estonia, Suninen finished fifth, and in Finland, fourth. He was on pace for a podium finish in Chile but ultimately slid out towards the end of the rally.
Given this background, it was surprising that Hyundai opted for Andreas Mikkelsen over Suninen as their Rally1 driver for the next season.
How did you react when you heard about Hyundai’s decision, Teemu Suninen?
“We had a discussion with the bosses, and we got some information about the situation before the announcement was made, and there was some inkling of it beforehand,” Suninen told RallyJournal.com.
“Was I surprised? Yes and no. I felt that we were doing quite well up to that point. The three gravel races we did, our pace was consistently improving. In Chile, we were on pace for a podium, and overall, we were the fourth fastest on gravel,” Suninen summarized.
In Central Europe, Suninen faced a new challenge, driving on tarmac with Hyundai’s Rally1 car for the first time.
“The conditions in Central Europe were really tough. However, we finished sixth, so it wasn’t a bad or unsuccessful rally,” Suninen said.
Naturally, Suninen is disappointed with Hyundai’s decision, but he doesn’t seem bitter.
“At that point, it wasn’t enough for them. It’s a shame. I don’t know who then would have driven faster,” Suninen contemplated.
However, Suninen stated plainly that he believes he belongs in the top class.
“It was obviously a big disappointment. I feel my place is there. If with three races’ training I can drive at podium pace, then I feel I belong there. At least in terms of speed, it would be nice to be there. The team was happy that I could develop the car and many areas were in good shape,” Suninen thought.
“This is business, marketing, and teamwork, after all. I wasn’t the best fit in that regard. In the rally world, there’s already Kalle (Rovanperä) and (Esapekka) Lappi, and they obviously dominate the Finnish market. Maybe they thought my driver profile was too similar to EP’s,” Suninen continued.
Yet, Suninen doesn’t fully agree.
“I don’t quite see it that way. The rougher gravel rallies are a bigger strength for me. I’ve managed to podium in Sardinia and Portugal, and we were on pace for a podium in Chile. Turkey didn’t go badly either, but these things happen,” Suninen said.
Are your and Esapekka Lappi’s driving styles too similar?
“It could be, and in a way, I understand their perspective. They haven’t seen me drive in the roughest rallies with a Rally1. But it’s hard to judge, and it’s speculative. My best guess is whether I would have been good or not in the rough rallies. History shows I have been. Chile is a bit rougher and slower than Finland and Estonia, and it didn’t go poorly. But there are no facts, and there might not be next year in Rally1 cars (for me), at least not with Hyundai,” Suninen answered.
It’s hard to find purely sporting reasons for Hyundai’s decision. According to RallyJournal.com, Hyundai’s star driver Thierry Neuville, who is good friends with Mikkelsen, might have influenced or at least contributed significantly to the decision to choose Mikkelsen over Suninen for the team.
“Well, that’s up to everyone to interpret. But maybe they’ll achieve better results together. Let’s hope so,” Suninen commented.
Suninen also refrains from speculating whether he could have achieved better results than the newly selected team.
“That’s completely pointless speculation. You’d have to be in the same races with the same car to answer that. But I still feel I would have deserved a place. I showed good development and had the motivation to compete the whole season. Part-time seems to be a bit of a trend there,” Suninen said.
Suninen’s plans for next year are not yet clear. His goal is to compete in as many rallies as possible next season.
“We’ll see which direction it goes and whether it’ll be a good thing next year and how short-term that is. Of course, it’s the team’s business to choose their drivers. They thought that package was the best,” Suninen outlined.
However, his plans for next year are crystal clear in his mind.
“Keep trying, there’s nothing else to do. You have to stay in the market,” Suninen concluded.
