The rally in Umeå, Sweden, and its surroundings was a significant milestone for Lauri Joona’s co-driver. After all, it was her first time reading pace notes at the World Championship level.
Hussi later admitted directly that she felt pressure to succeed.
“The biggest pressure on my shoulders was definitely in Sweden, as it was the first one. However, through my second profession, my ability to handle pressure has developed,” said Hussi, known also as a radio host, to RallyJournal.com.
“If the prompter breaks during a live broadcast, you just have to continue. The same situation can occur in a rally car. Anything can happen, and you must be able to continue. I feel that the biggest weight was lifted off my shoulders in Sweden. Above all, I was able to prove to myself there that I can do this,” Hussi shared.
Hussi was emotional in Sweden, but it also gave her more energy and drive.
“Definitely. I almost burst into tears when we came to the stadium, and there was the last jump and the finish line. I bit my teeth not to start crying right there,” Hussi chuckled.
“Emotions belong in sports, in my opinion. Then you know it’s with full heart and effort. If nothing felt like anything, would that even be fun?” Hussi continued.
Hussi had previously mentioned in Sweden that her abilities had been doubted. She has been able to prove herself to those people, but there haven’t been doubters within the sport itself.
“The people who truly matter seem to have accepted me from the start as I am. Of course, it always feels good if you can prove with your actions that you are capable. With publicity, one has to get used to the negative comments. But it’s never pleasant,” Hussi reflected.
As a counterbalance to the heckling, Hussi has also received many encouraging messages.
“A lot. There are also really nice people. The majority of the messages have been supportive, but there are some dissenting voices. You just have to dare to do things. If you don’t, you could just stay on the couch at home. That would probably be wrong in someone’s opinion, too,” Hussi said.
Sitting beside Hussi, driver Lauri Joona aims for the top. As for her own goals, Hussi tries to be realistic.
“I have to be realistic about it, that I still have a lot to learn. I’ve learned a lot already, but I need to approach this with humility. We’ll see,” Hussi outlined.
