Since late 2021, Suninen has been part of Hyundai’s team. The Finnish driver has mainly competed with Hyundai’s Rally2 car in the WRC2 class, though last season he had the opportunity to showcase his skills in the main category with the Hyundai i20 N Rally1 in four WRC events.
Suninen had aimed for a Rally1 spot with Hyundai’s factory team this season, but he had to settle for a Rally2 role. His season with Hyundai has been underwhelming, as he didn’t score any points in the WRC2 class. Hyundai’s car faced numerous technical issues throughout the season and wasn’t on par with its competitors in terms of performance.
Suninen will not compete with Hyundai for the rest of this season. It now seems he might be moving on from Hyundai entirely, as he tested Toyota’s Rally2 car in France this week.
It was… Suninen behind the wheel today #WRC https://t.co/gJOhEkJnVF
— Planetemarcus (@planetemarcus) October 9, 2024
A photo from Suninen’s test reveals it’s the same Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 car that Sami Pajari used as a zero car in a French national rally last December. This is also the car Pajari initially tested.
This year, Pajari has had a successful season with Printsport’s Toyota in the WRC2 class and remains in contention for the championship.
So, what could Suninen’s Toyota test indicate? The most logical conclusion is that Suninen may be planning to compete in the WRC2 class next season with Toyota’s Rally2 car, which offers him a significantly better chance of success than Hyundai’s. Hyundai has already announced that it is ceasing development of its Rally2 car.
Where might Suninen find a Toyota to drive? A logical answer is the Finnish team, Printsport. Currently, it looks likely that Sami Pajari will have more opportunities to drive Toyota’s Rally1 car in the main WRC class next season. While Pajari may also compete with Toyota’s Rally2 car, Suninen could join him to share driving responsibilities.
Toyota works closely with Printsport and is keen to have a competitive driver in the Rally2 category at WRC events. Suninen would be a strong fit for this role.
For Suninen, this arrangement would be advantageous. He’d have access to a well-performing car and the opportunity to work with a Finnish team. There would likely be more testing opportunities compared to recent years with Hyundai.
Additionally, Suninen would gain a direct connection to Toyota’s WRC team, which, like Printsport, operates from Central Finland.
