Joona’s partnership with Janni Hussi ended after Rally Finland, and his new co-driver is Ville Mannisenmäki. Joona’s new co-driver’s father is co-driving legend Risto Mannisenmäki, who read notes for, among others, Tommi Mäkinen. The younger Mannisenmäki has previously sat alongside drivers like Teemu Asunmaa and Aleksi Röyhkiö.
Joona is pleased with his new co-driver.
“At the moment, we’ve only agreed on one race, but everything has worked out well. We’ve already done some joint testing. Ville is really professional, so in that sense, everything’s fine. I’ve driven with two different co-drivers in a season before, so this is nothing new for me, switching co-drivers mid-season,” Joona explained.
Joona and Mannisenmäki already knew each other from before.
“We did some testing together last spring and then again before this race. That’s about it, but we’re already familiar with each other. We studied in school in somewhat the same field, so we get along well in the cockpit,” Joona revealed.
Joona and Mannisenmäki are facing a tough challenge right away, as Greece is extremely hot, and the stages are, as usual, in rough shape.
“It’s really warm here, and the conditions have always been the roughest here where I’ve done notes. Once we get into the race, it usually becomes either a bit easier or much more challenging. We’ll see how the weather turns out. But you can’t keep the pedal to the metal the whole time here,” Joona predicted.
This is the fourth consecutive year Acropolis Rally is being held, and reports suggest that the conditions have never been this rough. This presents a significant challenge for the crews, and finding the right rhythm for driving will be crucial.
“The key is that you should be able to push as hard as possible in the good sections. In the rougher sections, you need to keep the speed up but do it in a smart way so you don’t break anything. The rough parts are where you can probably gain the most or lose the most. It’s always a bit of a balancing act. We mark the tough spots and drive accordingly,” Joona said.
However, the goal is clear.
“A podium finish is the only thing that would make me smile. We won’t settle for anything less. If we can keep the pace up and drive without mistakes, it should be possible,” Joona concluded.
