It was already reported earlier this February that Grönholm has joined forces with the Swedish outfit JRD Motorsport.
Together with his Swedish partner, Grönholm is participating in a project with the aim of developing a rally car compliant with the FIA’s Rally2 regulations for the North American market.
The car is intended to compete in the ARC2 class of the American ARA rally series, where the vehicles are based on the same Rally2 cars that are also used in the World Rally Championship.
It has now been reported that Grönholm will begin testing the ARC2 car for the first time. Grönholm will carry out the tests in JRD Motorsport colours in the United States.
“It’s been a while since I was last in the United States as a driver, but I fondly recall the events at Pikes Peak and in rallycross after my WRC career,” Grönholm commented.
“The motorsport atmosphere in the United States is relaxed yet fully professional. I enjoy it immensely. I hope I can create new memories during this adventure with JRD Motorsport,” Grönholm continued.
The livery of Grönholm’s JRD Motorsport car has been carefully designed. The colours of the Finnish and Swedish flags are combined in the car’s design — and it suits Grönholm perfectly.
“When I competed in the WRC, Sweden and Finland were my favourite rallies. I also speak Swedish as my mother tongue. Everything about this project evokes positive feelings,” Grönholm enthused.
Grönholm truly enjoyed the snowy stages of Sweden and the gravel roads of Finland. He won Rally Sweden five times in his career, making him the second most successful driver in the traditional winter rally. He also won Rally Finland no fewer than seven times — a record that still has not been broken.
The ARC2 car now being tested matches the power output of the Rally2 cars familiar from the World Rally Championship, and it is intended to offer a more logistically sensible option for the North American market — as it is more difficult to source Rally2 cars from Europe for use in the United States.
