Alongside Lauri Joona, Hussi achieved her first podium finish in the World Rally Championship when the Finnish duo placed third in the WRC2 class at the Rally Portugal that concluded on Sunday.
While Joona has previously won rallies in the WRC3 class, this event marked the first podium finish for him in the WRC2. For Hussi, participating in only her third world rally, it’s no wonder the 32-year-old co-driver was all smiles after the rally.
“It feels incredibly good. I knew Lauri was a strong driver, but it’s fantastic that we achieved this in just our third rally together,” Hussi exclaimed to RallyJournal.com.
The Rally de Portugal is one of the classic events on the WRC calendar. Hussi’s first trip to the gravel roads of northern Portugal left a memorable impression.
“I fell in love with this rally; it’s just a wonderful race. Everything is so well organized. Everything works smoothly, the stages are fantastic, and the people are fully engaged. You can’t help but enjoy it,” Hussi said.
“There were so many people, and everyone was so involved, lining the streets and everywhere, just ecstatic.”
Next, Joona and Hussi’s season continues at the Sardinia in early June. Now that they’ve tasted podium success, the pair is not settling for less.
“I back Lauri up. It (the podium finish) is a good target for us,” Hussi affirmed.
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