Finnish driver’s bitter disappointment in ERC rally – “If I do the same next time, I’ll go straight home”

Teemu Asunmaa finished eleventh in the Estonian ERC rally.
Teemu Asunmaa. Photo: Merita Mäkinen
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The competition for the driver from Finland started off track right from Friday’s qualifying when Asunmaa hit a cutting barrier, leading to a flat tire and the 16th fastest time. Saturday was spent sweeping the road.

“It was known what the position of the road opener is like in such competitions. The fighting spirit weakens quite a bit when you see and know that with these conditions, you can’t compete. On the other hand, it is quite nice to be the first car in such a race, guaranteed TV time, and there’s something special about it,” Asunmaa laughed.

On Sunday, Asunmaa handed over the road opener position to his competitors, but the gap to the leaders had already become insurmountable.

“I never really felt like driving, but we tried a few things with the car for the Rally Finland. Of course, any miles are always useful, but at no point could we drive at full speed, which doesn’t keep the competitive spirit alive. If I do the same as I did on Friday next time, I’ll go straight home,” Asunmaa joked.

Asunmaa’s season continues in about a month with the Rally Finland in Jyväskylä, preparations for which will start immediately in the coming week. Despite everything, Asunmaa is grateful for the opportunity to compete in the Estonian ERC round.

“The next couple of weeks will be spent servicing the car for Jyväskylä, and after that, we’ll do some testing. A big thank you to our partners for the opportunity to race here, to the organisers for the great setup, and to those who cheered us on from home and along the route,” Asunmaa thanked.

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