Arctic Rally Finland Stage Flash Day: 1-3 Flash N°: 1-11

February 26, 2021 Jenny Silvennoinen

History was made, Rovaniemi attracted a star-studded line-up for the first ever Arctic Rally Finland powered by CapitalBox, and the world’s best rally drivers were seen driving the snowy roads of Lapland. Read all the drivers comments from Shakedown to Wolf Power Stage from our Flash.

Read the very first comments by the drivers

COMMENTS

History was made this morning with cars in action for the first time on Arctic Rally Finland Powered by CapitalBox as shakedown took place for round two of the 2021 FIA World Rally Championship. Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja were fastest ahead of their Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team team-mates Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe with Pierre-Louis Loubet/Vincent Landais third quickest in another Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC. Janne Tuohino/Reeta Hämäläinen crashed their Ford Fiesta WRC into a snowbank 2.7 kilometres from the start of the stage.

 

Date: 26 February 2021

Day: 1 Flash N°: 1

Special stage: Shakedown Distance: 5.69 km

Weather: Dry, slightly misty, -2 degrees

Road conditions: Solid ice base with good grip levels reported

 

Car #1. SÉBASTIEN OGIER/JULIEN INGRASSIA

“It’s really nice. I wish the conditions would be like this in the stages because it’s pretty icy and actually

much higher grip than I expected. I didn’t drive so well actually. Okay shakedown is there to try to get the

feeling again.”

Car #33. ELFYN EVANS/SCOTT MARTIN

“It was a bit higher grip than expected in places that’s for sure. The road is quite wide with an icy base

and probably going to be quite different to the rally I would say.”

Car #11. THIERRY NEUVILLE/MARTIJN WYDAEGHE

“I have no idea what we can achieve. The car felt quite okay for the first run but for sure we can improve

a little bit and try to have a good weekend this time in the snow and fight against the Toyotas, who are

going to be strong. But I’m looking forward, we had a good preparation and I feel comfortable.

Car #69. KALLE ROVANPERÄ/JONNE HALTTUNEN

“It’s going to be a difficult weekend for sure. I think I should enjoy these stages a lot. Now I was just trying

to have a nice feeling in the car and push a bit. I made a few mistakes here and there so not so good

time but for sure I try to clean it up and be even faster on the rally. Let’s try to be quick this weekend.”

Car #18. TAKAMOTO KATSUTA/DANIEL BARRITT

“It’s so fun, very nice stages. Afternoon is going to be more narrow and tricky but the feeling is very good.

I need to save the tyres a bit but it’s still so fun to drive and it’s going to be a fun weekend.”

Car #44. GUS GREENSMITH/ELLIOTT EDMONDSON

“The first thing I was really surprised with was how much grip we had. I wasn’t really using much of it and

I just need to focus on smoothing the driving down because there were places where I felt I couldn’t carry

the speed but then the grip was there. There are kind of clear ways to improve which is good but it’s

mega, it’s mega.

Car #8. OTT TÄNAK/MARTIN JÄRVEOJA

“We will find out for sure [how much potential this car has this weekend]. It will be nice to fight with the

Toyotas but let’s see what we can do.”

Car #3. TEEMU SUNNINEN/MIKKO MARKKULA

“[I am wearing these glasses because] maybe I’m getting old because I need more contrast to see the

snowbanks! Hopefully this helps. It felt pretty okay but it looks like we’re going to have a challenging rally

ahead. Okay I can find one second, two seconds on being absolutely on the limit. It’s not going to be

easy.”

Car #42. CRAIG BREEN/PAUL NAGLE

“It’s absolutely incredible conditions out there at the minute. You just have a road full of grip with big,

lovely snowbanks. Well, they seem lovely anyway ready to push you back on the road and you can just

go like the clappers and carry so much speed. Every day when you get to drive one of these cars is

something special but it’s on conditions like this that it really blows your mind. It’s something special so

let’s try to enjoy it.

Car #2. OLIVER SOLBERG/SEBASTIAN MARSHALL

“It was very fast and I just had to get a feel for it again. The grip level was so high but I just drove way

too slow but it’s just great fun to be able to drive a fantastic car like this and just get experience and see

how it goes.”

Car #7. PIERRE-LOUIS LOUBET/VINCENT LANDAIS

The grip is more high than I expected. I was too clean and thinking it would be more slippery but the grip

was super-high so I will now for the next time.

Car #12. JANNE TUOHINO/REETA HÄMÄLÄINEN

Went wide on a right-hand corner 2.7 kilometres from the start of the stage and got stuck in a snowbank

“We will do some shovelling work now rather than on the special stage. Too slippery and too much speed

in the moment. Later I will drive even faster after service.”

Car #37. LORENZO BERTELLI/SIMONE SCATTOLIN

“I enjoy snow, I love snow, we have perfect conditions and I am happy to be here.”

Car #20. ANDREAS MIKKELSEN/OLA FLØENE

“It was the worst start ever! It was the second corner and I forgot I was in a WRC2 car so I went for the

paddleshift and the car wouldn’t go down a gear and then I realised so not the best one. Otherwise. I feel

like home here.”

Car #21. ADRIEN FOURMAUX/RENAUD JAMOUL

“It’s nice to drive but honestly I was really surprised the grip was so high, it’s much more than expected.

We need to find the grip and the pace but we are on the shakedown so we will try.

Car #25. ESAPEKKA LAPPI/JANNE FERM

“To be honest I can improve quite a bit. We’ll see later on. It’s natural to be in a WRC2 car, roughly it

feels like a slow motion. Lot of spare time especially in the beginning. Things don’t happen so fast. Real

rally for sure. The weather could have been a little bit colder but amazing snow and it is amazing to have

this rally in TV.”

 

Fastest drivers of Day 1:

Arctic Rally Finland Powered by CapitalBox got underway with the opening special stage, Sarriojärvi. Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja were fastest by 3.6s ahead of Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team team-mates Craig Breen/Paul Nagle. Kalle Rovanperä/Jonne Halttunen were third fastest after losing time when they ran wide at a junction after 16 kilometres and struck a snowbank. Significantly, Tänak, running seventh on the road, was the one of only three leading drivers to carry one spare Pirelli Sotttozero Ice tyre in his car, a weight saving of approximately 23 kilograms.

Heading to Day 2. form these positions:

• Estonian leads all-new winter spectacular in factory Hyundai after opening leg
• Former world champion fastest on Friday’s two stages east of Rovaniemi
• Rovanperä is best-placed Finn for Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT
• Flying Finn Lappi leads WRC2, Lindholm in front in WRC3

 

Read the drivers comments from Sarriojärvi:

 

Date: 26 February 2021

Day: 1 Flash N°: 2

Special stage: SS1 (Sarriojärvi 1) Distance: 31.05 km

Weather: Some cloud, +1 degree

Road conditions: Good grip but some loose and fresh snow nearing the stage finish

 

Car #1. SÉBASTIEN OGIER/JULIEN INGRASSIA

“It was quite tough conditions with the snow and unfortunately I don’t think I’m going to have a great time.

I’m happy with my stage, I had a clean drive and drove much better than I did in the shakedown this

morning. Let’s see how it evolves.”

 

Car #33. ELFYN EVANS/SCOTT MARTIN

“Pretty difficult I’d say, the grip deteriorated a bit as we went into the stage with more loose snow towards

the end. Overall sort of okay but you feel in some places you can go faster but in other places you’re a

bit more on the limit. It’s difficult to find the balance in these conditions.”

 

Car #11. THIERRY NEUVILLE/MARTIJN WYDAEGHE

“Obviously there is a lot of cleaning and a lot of fresh snow. I was already getting a bit of benefit from the

line. Unfortunately, we were looking to find a good rhythm, it didn’t work all the time but where we had a

good rhythm I was able to push a bit more. But it won’t be enough for the guys behind, for sure not.”

 

Car #69. KALLE ROVANPERÄ/JONNE HALTTUNEN

“I was stuck in the snowbank for a while. It was a stupid mistake just coming into the junction. I thought I

had a bit more time to the junction but I just went wide and hit the rear. Luckily we got out straightaway

but we lost like eight or 10 seconds there so the time is not that bad. We cannot have mistakes like that

again.”

Car #18. TAKAMOTO KATSUTA/DANIEL BARRITT

“The grip is getting worse in the end, we have in the test quite a similar feeling. I needed to be careful in

some points but in some corners I had a very good grip but it’s quite difficult to judge how the grip is like.

I was quite careful in the tricky sections but maybe later on I will be quite okay. It’s okay but quite difficult.”

 

Car #44. GUS GREENSMITH/ELLIOTT EDMONDSON

“It was really enjoyable. Some places I would have a good rhythm but in the next one I wouldn’t so I was

struggling to find it in there. I was hoping for a bit better than that so I will try to do a bit better.”

 

Car #8. OTT TÄNAK/MARTIN JÄRVEOJA

“It’s hard to say it’s perfect because there is still quite a lot of understeer. But, generally, it’s a very

demanding stage and the conditions are nice so for sure it’s enjoyable. But it’s just the first stage and

there’s a long way to go.”

 

Car #3. TEEMU SUNNINEN/MIKKO MARKKULA

“Quite nice conditions, I haven’t seen better conditions as we are having now. Make the fastest times,

simple tips [was the message from the boss].”

 

Car #42. CRAIG BREEN/PAUL NAGLE

“That was s****. This is a big boys game you have to be on it from the first pass and I was way too slow

with my notes. I just didn’t take advantage of the road I had in front of me. I had the perfect car and the

perfect road so I’m not so happy with that to be honest.”

 

Car #2. OLIVER SOLBERG/SEBASTIAN MARSHALL

“For sure it’s very, very tricky. Very difficult. My front tyres are not so good anymore, they are finished.

Not so good but very enjoyable. I had to stop and reverse, I lost 10 or 12 seconds but okay, I’m learning.”

 

Car #7. PIERRE-LOUIS LOUBET/VINCENT LANDAIS

“For the start here it’s not so bad but we will see, it will be long. I was really careful in some parts for the

tyre. I don’t know if I managed it because in the end we were using a lot. We will see but it’s not a bad

start. The stage is fast, it’s better than the ice on Monte.”

 

Car #12. JANNE TUOHINO/REETA HÄMÄLÄINEN

“In one junction I went too long. In the beginning I went too wild and at some points I went too slow.”

 

Car #37. LORENZO BERTELLI/SIMONE SCATTOLIN

“It was okay, very enjoyable, in the last part I had a lot of understeering.”

 

Car #20. ANDREAS MIKKELSEN/OLA FLØENE

“It was okay, my tyres were going off towards the end. But it was a clean stage with no other issues.”

 

Car #21. ADRIEN FOURMAUX/RENAUD JAMOUL

“It was really nice stage. It was very good and enjoyable. We need to improve the time.’’

 

Car #22. EYVIND BRYNILDSEN/VERONICA ENGAN

“It feels so great to be here and I’m really happy for my time. It’s the best thing you can do with the

clothing on.’’

 

Car #23. SEAN JOHNSTON/ALEXANDER KIHURANI

“We’ve got some weird sound coming from the front brakes. I had a good rhythm in the beginning, then

we fell off a bit.”

 

Car #24. JARI HUTTUNEN/MIKKO LUKKA

Stopped in stage.

 

Car #25. ESAPEKKA LAPPI/JANNE FERM

“It was fine, completely different from the shakedown, super-tricky. A lot of loose snow. I tried to drive

quite safely in the grooves.”

 

Car #26. OLE CHRISTIAN VEIBY/JONAS ANDERSSON

“We lost a lot of time, I’m not happy.”

 

Car #27. NIKOLAY GRYAZIN/KONSTANTIN ALEKSANDROV

Second fastest on stage, no comment recorded.

 

Car #28. GEORG LINNAMÄE/VOLODYMYR KORSIA

“We missed a junction. We also hit a bank and spun on the stage and lost time.”

 

Car #29. MARTIN PROKOP/MICHAL ERNST

“It was difficult because the feeling on the first part was nice but in the second part there was a lot of

gravel. But a very nice stage.”

 

Car #30. TEEMU ASUNMAA/MARKO SALMINEN

“It was very difficult and we did not succeed as we wanted to. I was too nervous but I will try to relax and

make a better time later.”

 

Car #31. EMIL LINDHOLM/MIKAEL KORHONEN

“The stage was in a bad condition because there was holes in the road. We must see what we do with

the car.”

 

Car #32. MIKKO HEIKKILÄ/TOP LUHTINEN

“At one cross-roads I was slowing down went too far into the junction. There were no further problems

but it was slippery.”

 

Day: 1 Flash N°: 3 Special stage: SS2 (Sarriojärvi 2)

Distance: 31.05 km

Weather: Dry, dark, -2 degrees

Road conditions: Fresh snow in places and some gravel patches

 

Car #1. SÉBASTIEN OGIER/JULIEN INGRASSIA

“It’s a different story but I guess the time difference will be the same. I do what I can but it’s quite difficult.

Let’s see where we are tomorrow but it looks like we’re going to be quite far already. But let’s give

everything we have.”

 

Car #33. ELFYN EVANS/SCOTT MARTIN

“Not easy, especially towards the end with quite a lot of loose snow and quite often it was difficult to get

the car turned in. But I tried.”

 

Car #11. THIERRY NEUVILLE/MARTIJN WYDAEGHE

“To be honest in the conditions we were I’m quite satisfied. I had a lot of understeer towards the end and

I really thought I was punctured. I took out a bit of speed at some point and I really struggled to turn. Also,

with Martijn we are still working and sometimes I struggled to really clearly understand so we need to

work on that to get a bit more better understanding.”

 

Car #69. KALLE ROVANPERÄ/JONNE HALTTUNEN

“Not good, the stage is in a really bad condition. There is a lot of gravel so my front tyres are completely

gone and I think I lost a lot of time in the end but probably everybody has the same idea. I lost a lot of

time but if somebody can manage the tyre really good he can be really good.”

 

Car #18. TAKAMOTO KATSUTA/DANIEL BARRITT

“It’s very challenging. Okay you can see because of the extra lights but there are a lot of crests and you

can’t see far away so it makes it more scary for you. It’s okay but at the end of the stage we had a

puncture so we lost quite a lot. There was a hidden rock, something big on the inside so we hit that one

and after that we needed to slow down. But I survived this quite difficult stage and I’m quite happy.”

 

Car #44. GUS GREENSMITH/ELLIOTT EDMONDSON

“It feels pretty God damn good. It’s going in the dark and it’s just relying on the notes. It was better than

the first pass but I just gave away so much time. It’s pretty disappointing but it’s not too bad.”

 

Car #8. OTT TÄNAK/MARTIN JÄRVEOJA

“I knew when I saw the forecast that it’s going to be a disaster for the tyres. I tried to be very, very nice

since the beginning but after 10ks I felt that s*** it’s finished and I knew I still had 20 to go. In the end it

was just handbrake. I tried to be as nice as possible but it’s difficult, it’s so hard surface.”

 

Car #3. TEEMU SUNNINEN/MIKKO MARKKULA

“I was on my limits. The rhythm felt quite good but it was quite difficult conditions to keep the clean driving

but still go fast. But I think it was quite okay and I’m happy for my driving.”

 

Car #42. CRAIG BREEN/PAUL NAGLE

“Shocking. The last three [kilometres], honestly it was a huge surprise because there was no real warning

it just dropped everything all of a sudden. It was very, very tricky. I imagine I dropped a lot. I was missing

the front in a few places. I really just wanted to try to protect it because I didn’t think I was at the risk of

losing the studs but I definitely lost a lot [of time] at the end there.”

 

Car #2. OLIVER SOLBERG/SEBASTIAN MARSHALL

“It’s very difficult in the dark because you are fully sideways and you don’t know if you are going to hit or

not. It was very enjoyable and I am starting to understand everything now. It was very enjoyable and it

was great to drive on this stage. Okay there is a lot of gravel, very difficult but a lot of fun.”

 

Car #7. PIERRE-LOUIS LOUBET/VINCENT LANDAIS

“I had a puncture. I had to change the tyre.”

 

Car #12. JANNE TUOHINO/REETA HÄMÄLÄINEN

“Today it was a very bad day for us. I’d totally like to forget today’s special stages. I made a mistake this

morning that affected the whole day. Our mechanics have worked so much on our car. Hopefully

tomorrow feels better.”

 

Car #37. LORENZO BERTELLI/SIMONE SCATTOLIN

“I mean I am happy to be back, but the road is very slippery though. The first part was nice, I am really

looking for tomorrow.”

 

Car #20. ANDREAS MIKKELSEN/OLA FLØENE

“It was a very difficult stage butt we managed quite well still. We got a bit stuck in the snowbanks and

lost time, we gotta push more.”

 

Car #21. ADRIEN FOURMAUX/RENAUD JAMOUL

“I have to push a bit less because our front tyres are gone. We try to keep the same gap as in the morning.

It was quite an okay stage.”

 

Car #22. EYVIND BRYNILDSEN/VERONICA ENGAN

“I was flat out but we lost grip towards the end of the stage.”

 

Car #23. SEAN JOHNSTON/ALEXANDER KIHURANI

“It is crazy to drive here. We got stuck in the snowbank, but we got out. We’re here to learn, this was the

mistake which I did today. But it is so much fun to drive these stages in the night.”

 

Car #24. JARI HUTTUNEN/MIKKO LUKKA

Retired on SS1 due to a technical issue.

 

Car #25. ESAPEKKA LAPPI/JANNE FERM

“This stage kills the tyres so I just tried to drive smart. I can push more, but at the moment I don’t think I

need to. We’re having a good speed. Maybe in my opinion but this is one of the most difficult stages of

this rally.”

 

Car #26. OLE CHRISTIAN VEIBY/JONAS ANDERSSON

“There are some problems with the car.”

 

Car #27. NIKOLAY GRYAZIN/KONSTANTIN ALEKSANDROV

Made no comment at the stage finish.

 

Car #28. GEORG LINNAMÄE/VOLODYMYR KORSIA

“It wasn’t very great, we wasted our tyres. In the end we didn’t have a lot of grip. I had to slow down in

the end of the stage.”

 

Car #29. MARTIN PROKOP/MICHAL ERNST

No information available.

 

Car #30. TEEMU ASUNMAA/MARKO SALMINEN

“There was a lot of gravel on the road. I tried to save my tyres but drove some sections totally flat out and

some quite carefully. It was an okay stage and result in overall is good.”

 

Car #31. EMIL LINDHOLM/MIKAEL KORHONEN

“It was quite okay but it was rougher than anyone of us expected. Apparently we are leading our class,

so I am happy with that.”

 

Car #32. MIKKO HEIKKILÄ/TOP LUHTINEN

“It was a little bit better than the previous stage because we didn’t have a spin. But the tyres were wearing

out. Hopefully tomorrow can be a bit better.”

 

Fastest drivers of the two first stages of Day 2:

Read the drivers comments of Day 2 Mustalampi & Kaihuavaara:

 

Date: 27 February 2021

Day: 2 Flash N°: 4

Special stage: SS3 (Mustalampi 1) Distance: 24.43 km

Weather: Clear and sunny, -4 degrees

Road conditions: Strong ice base, no adverse conditions reported

 

Car #1. SÉBASTIEN OGIER/JULIEN INGRASSIA

“I tried to drive as fast as I can, that’s always the plan. But was not so easy, let’s see how the times are

developing, I cannot say, I cannot say, but for sure it’s still pretty slippery out there.”

 

Car #33. ELFYN EVANS/SCOTT MARTIN

“I struggled a bit in places but I can’t really put my finger on why. [The conditions] are nice but I’m hoping

for a little bit more.”

 

Car #11. THIERRY NEUVILLE/MARTIJN WYDAEGHE

“It was an okay stage but I can’t understand. We made some changes on the intercom system but it

doesn’t work. I miss half of the words and I’m hesitating too much.”

 

Car #69. KALLE ROVANPERÄ/JONNE HALTTUNEN

“It was not good, we changed the set-up from yesterday and to be honest it didn’t really get any better. I

am struggling with the car and the balance. I have a lot of understeer and I just cannot be in the pace

that I want. I need to push a lot but it’s not safe anymore. We need to figure out something because I’m

not in the speed where I should be. I don’t know if we can do something now but we try to find something.”

 

Car #18. TAKAMOTO KATSUTA/DANIEL BARRITT

“I lost quite a lot, I think I was too careful on the icy sections, so that’s one reason. Nothing special but I

was quite careful in the narrow parts.”

 

Car #44. GUS GREENSMITH/ELLIOTT EDMONDSON

“For me it felt like I just was losing quite a lot of traction on the exit of corners so I might need to make

some tweaks because for me it felt like a pretty smooth stage. Maybe I lost three or four seconds with

Lorenzo Bertelli but the stage was quite okay.”

 

Car #8. OTT TÄNAK/MARTIN JÄRVEOJA

“This morning I was pushing quite hard and sometimes also hitting the banks. It’s quite difficult today, far

back the ice is already with some lines and it’s changing a lot.”

 

Car #3. TEEMU SUNNINEN/MIKKO MARKKULA

“For me we are having a good rhythm in slow places and when we are on a highway I can’t drive faster

on the straights but I am really trying my best and giving everything I can. We are having a good fight

with Taka [Katsuta].”

 

Car #42. CRAIG BREEN/PAUL NAGLE

“A lot of mistakes, I was in several snowbanks, which we should have been left stuck in. Just very, very

slippery, I was expecting the grip to be much higher. I tried to do the best I could to be honest but it’s not

entirely good enough. For sure we can make some changes.”

 

Car #2. OLIVER SOLBERG/SEBASTIAN MARSHALL

“It’s amazing, it felt quite good. I couldn’t find the rhythm in the beginning, very, very difficult, so narrow.

Then I found the rhythm and it felt very good.”

 

Car #7. PIERRE-LOUIS LOUBET/VINCENT LANDAIS

“It was nice, I tried my best. It was slippery in some parts, I really tried to stay on the line, we try to go

fast!”

 

Car #12. JANNE TUOHINO/REETA HÄMÄLÄINEN

“Today it is nice, weather is nice, sun shines. In the beginning I tried to find confidence, in the end of the

stage it went better. Yesterday was messy.”

 

Car #37. LORENZO BERTELLI/SIMONE SCATTOLIN

Stuck in snowbank 4.2 kilometres from stage start.

Car #20. ANDREAS MIKKELSEN/OLA FLØENE

“It was okay, I tried to push as hard as I could. I tried my best.”

 

Car #21. ADRIEN FOURMAUX/RENAUD JAMOUL

“I didn’t succeed to find the pace in the beginning of the stage. There was a lot of loose snow, we are

here to improve and try different things.”

 

Car #22. EYVIND BRYNILDSEN/VERONICA ENGAN

“We have such perfect weather. The stage is perfect. I lost some power towards the end after I hit a

snowbank.”

 

Car #23. SEAN JOHNSTON/ALEXANDER KIHURANI

“After the mistake yesterday, I had nothing to lose. It was a difficult stage. These roads are absolutely

gorgeous. This will be an interesting loop. I’m enjoying the driving.”

 

Car #24. JARI HUTTUNEN/MIKKO LUKKA

Retired on SS1 due to a technical issue.

 

Car #25. ESAPEKKA LAPPI/JANNE FERM

“It went quite well. It wasn’t that clean as I thought and I went to the snowbank as well. I lost four or five

seconds due to a mistake. I tried to drive calmly and we will have to see how fast the others will go.”

 

Car #26. OLE CHRISTIAN VEIBY/JONAS ANDERSSON

“It was really slippery. I lost a lot of time in the end. We are missing a lot of grip in the car. I don’t know

what to do.”

 

Car #27. NIKOLAY GRYAZIN/KONSTANTIN ALEKSANDROV

“It was quite a difficult stage and from the middle of the stage we had no grip. But the first part wasn’t that

bad.”

 

Car #28. GEORG LINNAMÄE/VOLODYMYR KORSIA

No comment given.

 

Car #29. MARTIN PROKOP/MICHAL ERNST

“It was a very difficult and very technical stage. It wasn’t easy to manage the car and the corners, superslippery and narrow and a loss of grip. The day is very beautiful.’’

 

Car #30. TEEMU ASUNMAA/MARKO SALMINEN

“The stage was very narrow and slippery in parts but it was okay. I don’t know why it is not going so well.

The sun is shining but the helmet visor helps.”

 

Car #31. EMIL LINDHOLM/MIKAEL KORHONEN

“The stage varies a lot with a lot of grooves. It was better than yesterday. A good stage for the morning

but I lost some seconds.”

 

 

Date: 27 February 2021

Day: 2 Flash N°: 5

Special stage: SS4 (Kaihuavaara 1) Distance: 19.91 km

Weather: Clear and sunny, -4 degrees

Road conditions: Strong ice base, no adverse conditions reported

 

Car #1. SÉBASTIEN OGIER/JULIEN INGRASSIA

“It’s the guys behind that are counting. Honestly I am on the limit, I am happy with my stage. Let’s see if

the time is good or not.”

 

Car #33. ELFYN EVANS/SCOTT MARTIN

“It’s okay, it’s a fast stage. For sure some places could be better still. But when it’s so fast you have to

just make sure your notes are right but all okay. In some places I can carry a bit more speed for sure. I

was a bit careful in a few places. It can always be better.”

 

Car #11. THIERRY NEUVILLE/MARTIJN WYDAEGHE

“We have some struggle, we are working on it, but it’s not easy. I have to be very concentrated. Not a

very good stage for us to be honest.”

 

Car #69. KALLE ROVANPERÄ/JONNE HALTTUNEN

“It’s not a great time, there is so many seconds I should take away but at this point I don’t have the feeling

with the car and it’s really not doing what I want. In many fast places I just lose the car on the line and I

lose too many seconds but I tried my best. We will have to see what we do [with changes in service].”

 

Car #18. TAKAMOTO KATSUTA/DANIEL BARRITT

“Quite a nice stage, I enjoyed a lot but I was a little bit hesitating in some corners so basically I lost a few

seconds from there. But the stages are so amazing and I like a lot. Next run I will even more push and I

will try to be much faster.”

 

Car #44. GUS GREENSMITH/ELLIOTT EDMONDSON

“That’s up there with one of the very best stages I’ve ever driven. That’s something pretty special to drive

one of these cars in there. Feeling pretty lucky.”

 

Car #8. OTT TÄNAK/MARTIN JÄRVEOJA

“Yeah [I was lucky to get away with that], I can’t activate the wipers so I couldn’t see anything. For sure

it was good to get out. We lacked a lot the top speed so it’s tricky.”

 

Car #3. TEEMU SUNNINEN/MIKKO MARKKULA

“We are missing corners, sixth gear, long uphill I am flat out but you can’t make big differences, the

times are getting quite close but there are no corners to make big differences.”

 

Car #42. CRAIG BREEN/PAUL NAGLE

“Honestly I thought I did a good stage. I drove, I wouldn’t say I was on the limit, but I tried to tidy it up in

a few places where I was ragged before but there’s not so much more I can do.”

 

Car #2. OLIVER SOLBERG/SEBASTIAN MARSHALL

“It was a terrible drive, terrible. I couldn’t find the confidence on the very, very fast [sections] you know,

it’s such commitment and my pacenotes were too cautious. But, okay, I’m learning, I’m happy.”

 

Car #7. PIERRE-LOUIS LOUBET/VINCENT LANDAIS

“It was amazing, honestly, very nice, very enjoyable. I tried to do my best even if we are first on the road.

It was not so bad on the previous one and we will see in this one. I think on the road it’s okay but in the

wood I lose a lot but for the rest I don’t think I lose too much.”

 

Car #12. JANNE TUOHINO/REETA HÄMÄLÄINEN

“This is a very nice stage, I really enjoy but it looks like the youngsters they are flying. Anyway, step-bystep, now I am enjoying for sure.”

 

Car #37. LORENZO BERTELLI/SIMONE SCATTOLIN

Retired in SS3 (stuck in snowbank 4.2 kilometres from start of stage).

 

Car #20. ANDREAS MIKKELSEN/OLA FLØENE

“A beautiful, amazing stage. I really enjoyed that one. I’m trying as hard as I can but I can’t do more than

this.”

 

Car #21. ADRIEN FOURMAUX/RENAUD JAMOUL

“It is a really nice stage to drive, really fast.”

 

Car #22. EYVIND BRYNILDSEN/VERONICA ENGAN

“It is a really fast stage, I pushed as much as I could. The battle will be with Fourmaux.”

 

Car #23. SEAN JOHNSTON/ALEXANDER KIHURANI

“[Georg] Linnamäe is stuck in a snowbank and we lost a bit time in that. He is not totally blocking the road

but we still lost some time. I’m not so happy.”

 

Car #24. JARI HUTTUNEN/MIKKO LUKKA

Retired on SS1 due to a technical issue.

 

Car #25. ESAPEKKA LAPPI/JANNE FERM

“Rallying doesn’t really get better than this. Maybe with a WRC car it will be even more enjoyable. But I

just love this. We have minus degrees, full sunshine, big snowbanks, icy roads, I cannot complain.”

 

Car #26. OLE CHRISTIAN VEIBY/JONAS ANDERSSON

“It was a fast stage. I struggled so much with the grip. I am losing the car in the middle of the corner. It

was a bit frustrating. Not so much more I can do.”

 

Car #27. NIKOLAY GRYAZIN/KONSTANTIN ALEKSANDROV

“It’s nice to have a team-mate like [Lappi], we can try to teach ourself. The stage was okay, quite so fast

in some places and in the last part I guess I was losing a little bit. But in the middle part, in the fast section,

I was more gentle to be on the line. Not easy but it’s quite nice. In the first part there was a lot of snow

and in some places it’s quite difficult to keep the car in the line. But for everyone it’s the same. Normally

it’s okay.”

 

Car #28. GEORG LINNAMÄE/VOLODYMYR KORSIA

Reported to be stuck in a snowbank.

 

Car #29. MARTIN PROKOP/MICHAL ERNST

“It’s okay, a bit slower than yesterday and more difficult for us. But the car is fantastic though.”

 

Car #30. TEEMU ASUNMAA/MARKO SALMINEN

No information available.

 

Car #31. EMIL LINDHOLM/MIKAEL KORHONEN

Reported to be stuck in a snowbank.

 

Fastest drivers of the stages:

Read drivers comments of Day 2:

 

Date: 27 February 2021

Day: 2 Flash N°: 6

Special stage: SS5 (Siikakämä 1) Distance: 27.68 km

Weather: Clear and sunny, -4 degrees

Road conditions: Strong ice base, some loose snow reported

 

Car #1. SÉBASTIEN OGIER/JULIEN INGRASSIA

“Better than yesterday but everything we lost yesterday is impossible to catch. That’s the difficultly for us

but we try our best. This one there was more snow on the road and I guess it will improve a little at the

back but, like I said, I gave everything I have.”

 

Car #33. ELFYN EVANS/SCOTT MARTIN

“None of it [gives me confidence]. It’s very, very fast and it’s very difficult when it’s like that you know with

quite loose snow. Sometimes I felt I was too slow and sometimes probably quite a bit too fast. I felt in

some places I was maybe a bit too sideways but at least I was committed and able to carry speed.”

 

Car #11. THIERRY NEUVILLE/MARTIJN WYDAEGHE

“I struggle to clearly understand sometimes the notes but anyhow I try to be very focused and do my job

at the rhythm I can go. I know sometimes I have to slow down but we did the best out of it what we could

this morning.”

 

Car #69. KALLE ROVANPERÄ/JONNE HALTTUNEN

“There was a small moment [on a high-speed right-hand bend], luckily I got out. It was actually quite

difficult, it felt already the tyres are really slippery here, for some reason it was slippery. We need to

improve a lot. We can see that on the fast stages we are fast but when it’s always technical we need to

find some speed.”

 

Car #18. TAKAMOTO KATSUTA/DANIEL BARRITT

“This stage was quite tricky, high speed. I like this stage but I really didn’t like my driving, I was quite…

let’s say… s***, sorry. But, anyway, I was not happy with my driving so I will improve in the next run. It

will be in the dark but I will try to be much faster. In many corners I was not so confident, I had big

oversteer in many corners and losing time quite a lot. Basically, it was not so good driving.”

 

Car #44. GUS GREENSMITH/ELLIOTT EDMONDSON

“That felt like the worst stage of the day, I just couldn’t seem to find the rhythm and I was making a few

mistakes in places. It didn’t feel like a good stage.”

 

Car #8. OTT TÄNAK/MARTIN JÄRVEOJA

“This stage we did some changes before and the car was behaving actually very nice. The stage as well

is a lot of fun, but for the first time, so fast, every corner blind it’s so difficult to find the confidence. But if

we know this stage it’s one of the best.”

 

Car #3. TEEMU SUNNINEN/MIKKO MARKKULA

“It’s a really beautiful stage, I fully agree. I was enjoying a lot during the stage and the conditions are

really nice. Not much else to say. I was really happy for what we did. My job is to push the car to the

limits and I really try to do it.”

 

Car #42. CRAIG BREEN/PAUL NAGLE

“Not great to be honest. There was lots of gravel and snow and I lost so much time. I just simply cannot

do it in here. Difficult stage and needs a lot of concentration.”

 

Car #2. OLIVER SOLBERG/SEBASTIAN MARSHALL

“It was a proper stage. It was quite enjoyable to be honest, it was the best stage today. I pushed very

hard in many places but then I was way too careful in others. You know it’s confidence but the time is not

bad and I’m happy.”

 

Car #7. PIERRE-LOUIS LOUBET/VINCENT LANDAIS

“It was a really nice stage. In some parts it is very clean and in others very slippery. It was good.”

 

Car #12. JANNE TUOHINO/REETA HÄMÄLÄINEN

“It’s fun but I cannot check the times because my time is s***. But what to do, there is nothing to do.”

 

Car #37. LORENZO BERTELLI/SIMONE SCATTOLIN

Retired on SS3 (stuck in snowbank 4.2 kilometres from start of stage).

 

Car #20. ANDREAS MIKKELSEN/OLA FLØENE

“It’s hard to say [where Lappi is gaining on me], really difficult to say. I tried to push as hard as I can but

it seems to be when there is a lot of corners where you have to brake a little bit for, I think there he’s

gaining a little bit and I have to use the handbrake to get the rear out to commit more. But if I push more

I will be really on the limit and I’m already on the limit. It’s not so much more to do to be honest for me

and I don’t have much more to give.”

 

Car #21. ADRIEN FOURMAUX/RENAUD JAMOUL

“It’s really nice to drive. There was a lot of speed. I’m enjoying it. Let’s see. I’m trying different driving

styles.’’

 

Car #22. EYVIND BRYNILDSEN/VERONICA ENGAN

“It was such a fast stage, we are not that far away. I am happy, but Lappi is absolutely so fast, in fact we

can’t get him. We are competing with Veiby and Fourmaux now.”

 

Car #23. SEAN JOHNSTON/ALEXANDER KIHURANI

“It is such a gorgeous stage, so much fun. We are trying things with the set-up, we will make big changes

in the afternoon service. It was one of the most enjoyable stages I have ever driven.’’

 

Car #24. JARI HUTTUNEN/MIKKO LUKKA

Retired on SS1 due to a technical issue.

 

Car #25. ESAPEKKA LAPPI/JANNE FERM

“So far we’ve been better than the others, definitely. The gaps are not huge, well in overall, we have a

big lead but still we can’t do any mistake. It’s been very good so far. It was very beautiful [stage], so cool

and the conditions are really nice. It’s still icy so you can really trust for the tyres and you don’t need to

be scared that the studs will fall down. Very enjoyable.”

 

Car #26. OLE CHRISTIAN VEIBY/JONAS ANDERSSON

“It was quite nice and really fast. I was more on the pace. We have a lot of work to do. Let’s see if we can

improve.’’

 

Car #27. NIKOLAY GRYAZIN/KONSTANTIN ALEKSANDROV

“Not easy to have the good speed like the other guys but the stage was really nice. The movement and

the pacenotes was really good but for sure we need to improve to find the time. But the rest was okay.”

 

Car #28. GEORG LINNAMÄE/VOLODYMYR KORSIA

Continued after getting stuck in a snowbank on SS4.

“This was a really fun one. In the morning loop I made some mistakes again and got stuck for a long time.

We’re here to learn.”

 

Car #29. MARTIN PROKOP/MICHAL ERNST

“It is a very nice and a fast stage. The grip was so good, I was struggling still a bit with the speed. I did

not trust the car. It was a really nice and enjoyable stage.”

 

Car #30. TEEMU ASUNMAA/MARKO SALMINEN

“The feeling was quite okay. I could not get myself in order to perform. I should try more but the grooves

are in the way.”

 

Car #31. EMIL LINDHOLM/MIKAEL KORHONEN

Retired on SS4 (reported to have crashed).

 

Date: 27 February 2021

Day: 2 Flash N°: 7

Special stage: SS6 (Mustalampi 2) Distance: 24.43 km

Weather: Clear and sunny, -4 degrees

Road conditions: Gravel patches and ruts emerging

 

Car #1. SÉBASTIEN OGIER/JULIEN INGRASSIA

“I tried but I’m afraid like often in the second loop it will improve [behind] because there’s quite a lot of

loose. But, also, I struggled with tyres, my tyre was really destroyed at the end now and it’s going to be

a difficult loop with tyres I think.”

 

Car #33. ELFYN EVANS/SCOTT MARTIN

“Very, very difficult. The grip at the end was so, so low, I had nothing at all. It was tricky.”

Car #11. THIERRY NEUVILLE/MARTIJN WYDAEGHE

“Maybe I did a little bit too much on the tyres, I have to check now. I felt them going suddenly and we

didn’t experience that at all in the testing. I don’t know if I did too much, I tried to manage but we have to

have a look now for the next stages.”

 

Car #69. KALLE ROVANPERÄ/JONNE HALTTUNEN

“It seems the balance is a bit better with the car now. The second loop condition is really rough. This

stage was not so much on gravel but the front tyres are really worn out and in a really bad condition. We

still have two more to go and I think it’s going to be a quite tough loop but hopefully we can save the tyres

a bit and fight on the next two runs.”

 

Car #18. TAKAMOTO KATSUTA/DANIEL BARRITT

“Conditions are very, very tricky. We got stuck in a snowbank once but luckily we could get out quite

quick but obviously we lost time quite a lot. The conditions are changing quite a bit, it was very tricky.”

 

Car #44. GUS GREENSMITH/ELLIOTT EDMONDSON

“The car is lethal to drive. I put the second spare in and every time I turn in, it’s easy flat-right and I’m

having massive moments for no reason. It’s absolutely s****, I will see what I can do.”

 

Car #8. OTT TÄNAK/MARTIN JÄRVEOJA

“It’s nothing about winter driving, it’s so hot pace. It’s so difficult, I was just trying to come through as

smoothly as possible but in the end on the ice there was just no grip so I’m sure it’s very, very hard on

the tyre.”

 

Car #3. TEEMU SUNNINEN/MIKKO MARKKULA

“I was surprised a bit. The stage was quite messy with a lot of loose snow, no grip at all. I think the guys

from behind are coming even faster.”

 

Car #42. CRAIG BREEN/PAUL NAGLE

“I just lost all the studs at the end. I really tried. I really tried, I give it a go but I completely, completely

killed the front tyres.”

 

Car #2. OLIVER SOLBERG/SEBASTIAN MARSHALL

“Difficult, it’s the most difficult I’ve ever done in my life. It’s sideways everywhere, snowbank into

snowbank. It’s so difficult, I tried to take care of the tyres in the beginning and then push. Very difficult.”

 

Car #7. PIERRE-LOUIS LOUBET/VINCENT LANDAIS

“I don’t know, we have a like no engine, we are on road mode. We will see [what this means for the rest

of the day].”

 

Car #12. JANNE TUOHINO/REETA HÄMÄLÄINEN

“It’s okay, a little rough but we need to drive behind Loubet for some time but then he take the place so

we can overtake him. I don’t know what happened to him but he was going slowly.”

 

Car #37. LORENZO BERTELLI/SIMONE SCATTOLIN

Retired on SS3 (stuck in snowbank 4.2 kilometres from start of stage).

 

Car #20. ANDREAS MIKKELSEN/OLA FLØENE

“The stage was a little bit more rough now, I was struggling to get the car to turn, so it was not that good

but we tried our best. We did some changes, but we had tricky conditions as well.”

 

Car #21. ADRIEN FOURMAUX/RENAUD JAMOUL

Reported to have stopped on the stage.

 

Car #22. EYVIND BRYNILDSEN/VERONICA ENGAN

“It was a difficult stage, I was struggling with the front tyres and I was losing a lot of time on the last split.

I have no clue how the other guys solved the tyre problem, I couldn’t.”

 

Car #23. SEAN JOHNSTON/ALEXANDER KIHURANI

“That was a much better stage, we did another big set-up change. These tyres are dead, we’ll see how

the studs are.”

 

Car #24. JARI HUTTUNEN/MIKKO LUKKA

Retired on SS1 due to a technical issue.

 

Car #25. ESAPEKKA LAPPI/JANNE FERM

“It was the worst stage so far. I pushed hard. The road is in a good condition but there is gravel in some

places. The studs are falling out, but I cannot do anything about it. In the morning the road was a lot

better.”

 

Car #26. OLE CHRISTIAN VEIBY/JONAS ANDERSSON

“This stage was so demanding for the tyres. In the last 10 kilometres I had to slow down so, so much. It

was so challenging. Nothing what we can do about it.”

 

Car #27. NIKOLAY GRYAZIN/KONSTANTIN ALEKSANDROV

“They were quite slippery conditions on the road. We went wide on one corner.”

 

Car #28. GEORG LINNAMÄE/VOLODYMYR KORSIA

“It was okay, we didn’t manage to save our tyres well, in the end we didn’t have much grip. We are here

to learn and to get some kilometres. We’re having fun.”

 

Car #29. MARTIN PROKOP/MICHAL ERNST

“There was a lot of gravel and stones on the road. I was afraid that I got a puncture, and because of that

I tried to drive carefully. The conditions have changed a lot compared to the morning.”

 

Car #30. TEEMU ASUNMAA/MARKO SALMINEN

“The stage was rough. The tyres may be broken due to the amount of gravel but rally is rally. There was

a lot of gravel.”

 

Car #31. EMIL LINDHOLM/MIKAEL KORHONEN

Retired on SS4 (reported to have crashed).

 

Fastest drivers of 2 last stages of Day 2:

Read the drivers comments of Kaihuavaara and Siikakämä!

 

Date: 27 February 2021

Day: 2 Flash N°: 8

Special stage: SS7 (Kaihuavaara 2) Distance: 19.91 km

Weather: Clear and sunny, -4 degrees

Road conditions: Gravel patches and ruts emerging, some loose snow reported

 

Car #1. SÉBASTIEN OGIER/JULIEN INGRASSIA

“I didn’t really push in this one, I tried to save my tyres for the last one. It’s hard for the tyres.”

 

Car #33. ELFYN EVANS/SCOTT MARTIN

“Who knows [if we were managing the tyres well], we will find out in the next one. For sure there was

some movement towards the end but I hope it wasn’t quite so hard as the previous one on the tyres so

we’ll just have to wait and see now.”

 

Car #11. THIERRY NEUVILLE/MARTIJN WYDAEGHE

“It went okay, I had a very clean, smooth run trying to save my tyres. It was working well and I’m really

feeling comfortable in the car. Our communication is working better as well, we still need to improve but

I feel a bit more comfortable like this.”

 

Car #69. KALLE ROVANPERÄ/JONNE HALTTUNEN

“Maybe [it will be a hard time to beat] but maybe the other guys are move clever and they are saving the

tyres, I don’t know. We took a small gamble with the tyres and we put them on cross and it felt quite good

and we should have some quite good condition tyres for the next one so let’s see what happens.”

 

Car #18. TAKAMOTO KATSUTA/DANIEL BARRITT

“On the previous stage I got stuck in the snowbank a little bit so I a little bit changed the mind. In the

morning I wanted to push harder in this one but I tried to be as clean as possible and a little bit clear my

mind. Time is pretty okay, I’m a little bit disappointed that I couldn’t be really maximum attack like I wanted

but it’s a great two runs. The next run will be even more track so I will try to be clean enough.”

 

Car #44. GUS GREENSMITH/ELLIOTT EDMONDSON

“It’s a lot more kind of clearing than I expected there to be. The tracks are quite wide and there’s a lot of

fresh snow and gravel kind of everywhere. That will clear pretty quickly so the more they’ll go through the

faster they will get.”

 

Car #8. OTT TÄNAK/MARTIN JÄRVEOJA

“To be honest I was really worried about the last stage so on this one I used the worst tyres just to get

through. The last one will be really important now.”

 

Car #3. TEEMU SUNINEN/MIKKO MARKKULA

“The conditions are really tricky. There’s a clean line but there’s a lot of messy snow outside of the line

and it’s quite tricky to go flat out and still save the tyres. Now we have used tyres and the studs were

moving quite a lot. Let’s see what we can do when we get the fresh tyres.”

 

Car #42. CRAIG BREEN/PAUL NAGLE

“I’m trying my best, really. Obviously I didn’t manage it very well yesterday. I’m really trying to do a good

job and manage it. But it’s tricky, I have no reference how to manage it, how to do the things properly so

I’m just trying my best.”

 

Car #2. OLIVER SOLBERG/SEBASTIAN MARSHALL

“I was quite angry but, okay, it’s good learning and it was a shame that I spun. But it’s like it is and it’s

good fun anyway.”

 

Car #7. PIERRE-LOUIS LOUBET/VINCENT LANDAIS

Retired after SS6 (suspected technical issue).

 

Car #12. JANNE TUOHINO/REETA HÄMÄLÄINEN

“It’s okay driving with the lights, I like it. But for me it’s such a long time that I am driving narrow, gravel

lines. I don’t have balls to push too much but I enjoy, it’s a nice stage, nice to go, but I’m getting old.”

 

Car #37. LORENZO BERTELLI/SIMONE SCATTOLIN

Retired on SS3 (stuck in snowbank 4.2 kilometres from start of stage).

 

Car #20. ANDREAS MIKKELSEN/OLA FLØENE

“That was okay for us, a clean stage, we tried to save the tyres for the last stage. We have a good gap

now. Esapekka [Lappi] is hard to catch. We are happy where we are.’’

 

Car #21. ADRIEN FOURMAUX/RENAUD JAMOUL

Reported to have stopped on SS6.

 

Car #22. EYVIND BRYNILDSEN/VERONICA ENGAN

“I tried on this one. It’s really difficult when you have to take care of the tyres. Lappi is doing a very, very

good job, it is hard to keep up.”

 

Car #23. SEAN JOHNSTON/ALEXANDER KIHURANI

“We had much better feeling than in the morning and we’re really enjoying it. Just a few mistakes, we

stayed on the snowbank for just a little while.”

 

Car #24. JARI HUTTUNEN/MIKKO LUKKA

Retired on SS1 due to a technical issue.

 

Car #25. ESAPEKKA LAPPI/JANNE FERM

“It’s a very good Saturday. It felt like someone had gone and made it very slippery on purpose. Now was

more normal than before. Now it was nice again. Let’s try and focus and keep a good rhythm. I don’t have

any other choices.”

 

Car #26. OLE CHRISTIAN VEIBY/JONAS ANDERSSON

“It’s been a difficult day for sure and it is super-tough for the tyres now. But it’s really fast and enjoyable.

We struggled a little bit. We’ve been improving a bit on the second loop. Let’s see what we can do on the

last stage.”

 

Car #27. NIKOLAY GRYAZIN/KONSTANTIN ALEKSANDROV

“I hit a snowbank and as a result of that we lost power. We lost a lot on this stage.”

 

Car #28. GEORG LINNAMÄE/VOLODYMYR KORSIA

“The stage was okay, that’s pretty much it.”

 

Car #29. MARTIN PROKOP/MICHAL ERNST

“It was a very nice and smooth stage. A lot of gravel on the road, we should improve the time. The stage

was nice for us.’’

 

Car #30. TEEMU ASUNMAA/MARKO SALMINEN

“I should have pushed more. I need to have more speed for the last stage. It has been difficult. I had to

do a lot of work. I’m surprised how fast the others drove.”

 

Car #31. EMIL LINDHOLM/MIKAEL KORHONEN

Retired on SS4 (reported to have crashed).

 

Date: 27 February 2021

Day: 2 Flash N°: 9

Special stage: SS8 (Siikakämä 2) Distance: 27.68 km

Weather: Dry, full dark, -4 degrees

Road conditions: Some gravel patches, ruts emerging

 

Car #1. SÉBASTIEN OGIER/JULIEN INGRASSIA

Went off into a snowbank on a left-hand corner at the 27.4-kilometre point, essentially two corners from

the stage finish, and got stuck for several minutes. “Last real corner, just the tyre were gone obviously I guess like for everybody. I was a little bit too much

sideway, hit the bank and then catch the front. I almost made it to the end. It’s not so frustrating. It’s a

weekend to forget when you come here first on the road it’s always the same. At the end of the day it’s

not so bad.”

 

Car #33. ELFYN EVANS/SCOTT MARTIN

“Not specifically any moments but the grip was very low towards the end there. To be honest I was too

careful. I didn’t take enough chances, that’s how it is but we’re still here.”

 

Car #11. THIERRY NEUVILLE/MARTIJN WYDAEGHE

“It was a really good stage, the car was working really, really nice. I tried to save my tyres throughout the

whole stage and not over-push. We were always clean, I had a very clean run. Since the communication

is working better I can push harder without making mistakes. We still need to improve, I am not happy

yet, we need to work on the system to get it better.”

 

Car #69. KALLE ROVANPERÄ/JONNE HALTTUNEN

“Thierry did the right choice with the tyres because he was saving one new for the stage. It was really

clever from him I have to say. Tomorrow we have to push and let’s see what we can do.”

 

Car #18. TAKAMOTO KATSUTA/DANIEL BARRITT

“In the morning I enjoyed a lot on the stages but in the afternoon it was quite difficult conditions. Okay, I

made one mistake into the snowbank. After that I needed a clean run to get back into the confidence.

Also, on this stage I had a quite clean run. I have small improvements [to make] but I must be happy

because it’s difficult conditions.”

 

Car #44. GUS GREENSMITH/ELLIOTT EDMONDSON

“It’s pretty good [experience] but it’s bloody tricky this afternoon just getting the car to do what I wanted

it to do. It just wasn’t happening and whatever we tried just didn’t seem to work. But it’s pretty special,

we’ve just got to commit. It wasn’t as good as the morning.”

 

Car #8. OTT TÄNAK/MARTIN JÄRVEOJA

“All to plan. The tyres were quite tired so it was important to get here without any mistakes and we are

here so it’s all good. It’s all okay.”

 

Car #3. TEEMU SUNNINEN/MIKKO MARKKULA

“On the stage before we started to have a lot of movement on the tyres so we fit new tyres to the front

[for this stage] and I had a really precise front but the rear was limiting my driving. I believe it was quite

okay to do it like that.”

 

Car #42. CRAIG BREEN/PAUL NAGLE

“It’s so frustrating for me honestly. You need to bring your top game here and I’m not really bringing it

today. It’s a pretty incredible time from Thierry to be fair but I just tried to preserve everything, I tried to

learn and do what I know in my little brain with my little experience of this car and tried to manage it as

best I could but it’s not easy for sure.”

 

Car #2. OLIVER SOLBERG/SEBASTIAN MARSHALL

“[Ogier’s] gone off in the last corner. It’s a very neat corner, a corner like where everyone went off in

shakedown, it’s a corner like that, so it’s very, very tricky. I think I had a good stage but I lost my glasses,

you see, no glasses! I think I drove faster because I don’t see. I went absolutely maximum, very

enjoyable.”

 

Car #7. PIERRE-LOUIS LOUBET/VINCENT LANDAIS

Retired after SS6 (suspected technical issue).

 

Car #12. JANNE TUOHINO/REETA HÄMÄLÄINEN

“It’s nice to drive, I really enjoy, both of us. Some small mistake in one junction, we had to use the

handbrake and go on the snowbank on the rear. But it was fun.”

 

Car #37. LORENZO BERTELLI/SIMONE SCATTOLIN

Retired on SS3 (stuck in snowbank 4.2 kilometres from start of stage).

 

Car #20. ANDREAS MIKKELSEN/OLA FLØENE

“It was okay. I was very careful towards the end. I didn’t need to push because we had a good gap.’’

 

Car #21. ADRIEN FOURMAUX/RENAUD JAMOUL

Stopped on SS6.

 

Car #22. EYVIND BRYNILDSEN/VERONICA ENGAN

“It’s been a fantastic day, actually every day in a rally car is the best day. We are satisfied with our fourth

place in our class at the moment. We are trying to keep up the good pace. In overall it’s a good day.”

 

Car #23. SEAN JOHNSTON/ALEXANDER KIHURANI

“The studs were wobbling, the tyres are going off. I had too many interactions with the snowbanks. It was

incredibly fun, I’m absolutely loving it. I am really looking forward tomorrow. I’m feeling more comfortable

with the car due to set-up changes.”

 

Car #24. JARI HUTTUNEN/MIKKO LUKKA

Retired on SS1 due to a technical issue.

 

Car #25. ESAPEKKA LAPPI/JANNE FERM

“It is nice, it is just too pretty long for the tyres. After 10 kilometres it became very tricky and challenging.

It is the same for everyone. I was too wide on one left turn and stuck for a while. The tyres are pretty

done.”

 

Car #26. OLE CHRISTIAN VEIBY/JONAS ANDERSSON

“Today it has been a real challenge. This one was really bad for the tyres, I had to slow down a lot

because there was no grip and I didn’t want to do any mistakes. We want to catch Eyvind Brynildsen in

the front. We need to go fast tomorrow.”

 

Car #27. NIKOLAY GRYAZIN/KONSTANTIN ALEKSANDROV

“It was a quite okay day for me, nothing special. I made a small mistake. For this stage we tried to get an

okay result.’’

 

Car #28. GEORG LINNAMÄE/VOLODYMYR KORSIA

“I liked the stage. Unfortunately, we were sideways on the road just before the finish, I lost time in that.

Everything’s okay with the car.’’

 

Car #29. MARTIN PROKOP/MICHAL ERNST

“My day was very nice, it was a very enjoyable day. The conditions were nice, a day full of learning. Not

an easy one, but overall a really nice day. A lot of learning with the car. Racing in Finland is always great.

It’s the best.”

 

Car #30. TEEMU ASUNMAA/MARKO SALMINEN

“We had a strategy. There is a lot of snow. We planned not to do anything stupid on this last stage.”

 

Car #31. EMIL LINDHOLM/MIKAEL KORHONEN

Retired on SS4 (reported to have crashed).

 

Fastest drivers of the second last special stage:

Read the drivers comments of Day 3:

 

Date: 28 February 2021

Day: 3 Flash N°: 10

Special stage: SS9 (Aittajärvi 1) Distance: 22.47 km

Weather: Dry, bright sunshine, -4 degrees

Road conditions: Good conditions reported

 

Car #1. SÉBASTIEN OGIER/JULIEN INGRASSIA

“[My chances of Power Stage points are] not big for sure. A little bit the same chance I had at the start of

the weekend you know. What else can we do apart from trying, we give everything we have and we see

if we have the chance to catch some points. But if it’s some it will not be many I believe.”

 

Car #33. ELFYN EVANS/SCOTT MARTIN

“It’s a fast stage that’s for sure. For me now the grip at the start was really surprising, much, much higher.

I was probably a bit too careful, probably a reference from yesterday. But we adapted to be honest and I

was able to find some good pace later in the stage to be honest.”

 

Car #11. THIERRY NEUVILLE/MARTIJN WYDAEGHE

“I don’t know [if it’s enough to pass Rovanperä]. To be honest we did a good stage, my pacenotes were

a bit slow, especially towards the end. Obviously we had to do 2.5ks on the recce at 40kph in a very fast

section. There’s no sense and it’s really dangerous then to commit to the pacenotes. I was maybe a bit

careful but I tried my best.”

 

Car #69. KALLE ROVANPERÄ/JONNE HALTTUNEN

“I do the same thing but much faster [on the Power Stage]. I was not so good on there. To be honest it

has been quite difficult this weekend, the pace is not what I should be and I am struggling a bit in many

places with the car. I tried to do my best and in the last one we will fight back hard as we can.”

 

Car #18. TAKAMOTO KATSUTA/DANIEL BARRITT

“It was quite good actually. The conditions were very, very nice and I enjoyed a lot. Some sections I was

quite careful because when we had the recce there was a lot of snowing and after they ploughed the

snow. I don’t know but some corners can change a bit the angle just because of how they ploughed the

snow, so I was quite careful in some sections but I will push a lot in the Power Stage.”

 

Car #44. GUS GREENSMITH/ELLIOTT EDMONDSON

“Not very good. My pacenotes were a long way away for some reason in this stage, the rest of the rally

they’ve been good but this one they were a long way out, sometimes too fast, sometimes too slow so I

need to have a look at the pacenotes and change them.”

 

Car #8. OTT TÄNAK/MARTIN JÄRVEOJA

“It’s easier to think just about the driving, not about the gap, just to find the feeling. Let’s see, next time

through is more important.”

 

Car #3. TEEMU SUNNINEN/MIKKO MARKKULA

“I had a pretty good feeling. I had some moments but that’s it. I had some slides and hitting some

snowbanks but I’m doing my best, that’s all I can do.”

 

Car #42. CRAIG BREEN/PAUL NAGLE

“I wish I could payback the guys in the right way, they did an amazing job this morning [replacing the

gearbox in the 15-minute morning service] and I didn’t deliver for them.”

 

Car #2. OLIVER SOLBERG/SEBASTIAN MARSHALL

“I was way too stiff and too careful in the beginning. At the end and in the middle I could let loose and I

could get the feeling again, but on the beginning I was very, very bad. But, okay, I’m just enjoying and

we will see for the Power Stage.”

 

Car #7. PIERRE-LOUIS LOUBET/VINCENT LANDAIS

“It was nice, I don’t know if because yesterday I was first on the road, but the grip was much more high.

I think I was not at 100 per cent of the car but the feeling was nice.”

 

Car #12. JANNE TUOHINO/REETA HÄMÄLÄINEN

Did not start Day 3 due to a dislocated left shoulder (non-rallying injury).

 

Car #37. LORENZO BERTELLI/SIMONE SCATTOLIN

“It was a fantastic stage, I didn’t have any lines so it was easy. But I enjoyed. It was not like a perfect run

for me but I’m happy to be here. I’m sad for yesterday but it’s a great opportunity to be here.”

 

Car #20. ANDREAS MIKKELSEN/OLA FLØENE

“What an amazing stage, wow! I wish I could be really flat out but we have the possibility later today and

it will be nice. We’re so far after EP and they’re so far behind so we just went on cruise mode. We’re just

looking forward to the Power Stage now.”

 

Car #21. ADRIEN FOURMAUX/RENAUD JAMOUL

Reported to have gone off into a snowbank.

 

Car #22. EYVIND BRYNILDSEN/VERONICA ENGAN

“This is the best thing you can do even without the clothes on. It’s so good fun. So good fun.’’

 

Car #23. SEAN JOHNSTON/ALEXANDER KIHURANI

“I wasn’t driving well and you can see it in the time. It was very frustrating. Not a nice way to start the

day. We’ll try to go better in the Power Stage.”

 

Car #25. ESAPEKKA LAPPI/JANNE FERM

“I don’t know how to describe it for people who haven’t driven a rally car but it feels so great. The stage

condition was really nice on the first pass. Like yesterday we have sunshine when it’s freezing, it’s just

amazing, amazing.”

 

Car #26. OLE CHRISTIAN VEIBY/JONAS ANDERSSON

“I have a lot of time to catch. I really tried. Otherwise, I couldn’t do so much more than this.’’

 

Car #27. NIKOLAY GRYAZIN/KONSTANTIN ALEKSANDROV

“Perfect. It’s so nice. It’s f****** good. I wasn’t pushing too much. But it was just awesome. The stage was

so flowy. I enjoyed it.’’

 

Car #28. GEORG LINNAMÄE/VOLODYMYR KORSIA

“It was okay. We corrected some pacenotes too much so it’s a bit negative. We’ll watch the videos and

hope to make the right corrections now.’’

 

Car #29. MARTIN PROKOP/MICHAL ERNST

“Morning. I had a big moment in the first corner and lost some confidence. It was one of the best stages

ever. The rhythm is fun. Amazing.”

 

Car #30. TEEMU ASUNMAA/MARKO SALMINEN

“It didn’t start very well. We hit the snowbanks and went too early to the corners. Some places went quite

right.”

 

Fastest drivers of Arctic Lapland Rally Power Stage:

Power Stage comments of the drivers:

 

Date: 28 February 2021

Day: 3 Flash N°: 11

Special stage: SS10 (Aittajärvi 2, Wolf Power Stage) Distance: 22.47 km

Weather: Dry, bright sunshine, -1 degree

Road conditions: Gravel line visible for large sections of the stage

 

Car #1. SÉBASTIEN OGIER/JULIEN INGRASSIA

“At the end section there was too much cleaning still so it won’t be enough to make a good time. One

more time I couldn’t do more than that. I was on the limit but, at the end, there was too much snow and I

hit the snowbank. That’s the way it is until the next one. It’s been nice for the rally to come here. It’s a

beautiful place to rally. Of course, when you are first on the road it’s not the same story but that’s the

WRC game like it is.”

 

Car #33. ELFYN EVANS/SCOTT MARTIN

“It seemed quite slippery towards the end in places. It felt like I did a good, clean run to be honest. It’s a

good time from Seb I have to be honest. It’s not been the weekend we wanted for sure. Okay, good

speed at times but not what we wanted for sure. There’s things to learn from this weekend, that’s for sure

and we know where the areas are we need to improve.”

 

Car #11. THIERRY NEUVILLE/MARTIJN WYDAEGHE

“I had a good stage but obviously Craig as well, he pushed hard it looks like. But I did my best I could. I

lost a little bit the front tyres towards the end. But anyhow I am satisfied with our weekend, despite some

small issues and we don’t need to forget we were starting third on the road. That’s a good result

considering our start position.”

 

Car #69. KALLE ROVANPERÄ/JONNE HALTTUNEN

“For sure this weekend I wanted to fight for the top place but I made a mistake and we were not in the

optimal pace. But I have to say I was pushing the whole weekend, maximum all the time. It was a good

weekend from my side and Jonne’s side. We did everything that we could. It’s nice to get the P2 here. It

was not the perfect weekend but quite nice.”

 

Car #18. TAKAMOTO KATSUTA/DANIEL BARRITT

“When conditions are very consistent I feel very confident but if it’s like this, quite loose snow and big ruts

still I need to improve a lot my driving. Obviously this stage I made a big, big mistake at the beginning

and in the middle so I am quite disappointed with myself. But this is the only way to run and I had a good

weekend so thank you to the Toyota team.”

 

Car #44. GUS GREENSMITH/ELLIOTT EDMONDSON

“Stage number one, I have to work on that. Generally the driving was getting a bit better. Some things

have improved but there’s still a lot to work on.”

 

Car #8. OTT TÄNAK/MARTIN JÄRVEOJA

“First when you come to a new event it’s always a bit unexpected, you never know what to expect. This

weekend we came to Finland, kind of home country of Toyota and also Rovanperä was expected to be

very strong. The pressure was there for sure and we knew it was going to be very, very complicated to

take the fight. But in the end we did a very good weekend, just enough, nothing too much and only one

mistake yesterday. But also today, claiming as many points as was safely possible and here we are. It’s

an amazing place, definitely oner of the best place to have a winter rally, I guess there is no place you

can have more snow and also the characteristic of the roads, especially yesterday it was so demanding.

To come back second time here would be much more enjoyable when you really know where you are

going.”

 

Car #3. TEEMU SUNNINEN/MIKKO MARKKULA

“I watched the onboard from my first run and found a few places where I could go faster. I really hope I

did it but still we’re quite far from Ogier.”

 

Car #42. CRAIG BREEN/PAUL NAGLE

“There was a bit of belief. Honestly I didn’t think it was great. I just tried to clean up the bits and pieces

where I was untidy before. I have to say thanks to the engineers, they gave me some info on the things

I was doing wrong and I tried to really work on it. It was really tough on me this weekend, mentally. After

delivering so much in Estonia the goal posts moved suddenly and you just want to deliver a win. But I

need to remember my experience is on the low side so we just need to bide our time and go with it. I’m

quite happy with that.”

 

Car #2. OLIVER SOLBERG/SEBASTIAN MARSHALL

“I don’t know when I will drive this car again so I thought I would just try. I lost sixth place with one second

and it’s not bad with that [spin into a snowbank near the finish] because I lost 15 or 20 seconds. Okay,

I’m sorry, but I tried.”

 

Car #7. PIERRE-LOUIS LOUBET/VINCENT LANDAIS

“In the last corner we had an issue with the engine and I was looking at the dash. Stupid but it’s like this.

It was a difficult weekend.”

 

Car #12. JANNE TUOHINO/REETA HÄMÄLÄINEN

Did not start Day 3 due to a dislocated left shoulder (non-rallying injury).

 

Car #37. LORENZO BERTELLI/SIMONE SCATTOLIN

“Unfortunately, yesterday I threw away everything, it was a great chance to enjoy yesterday. This stage

was nice, the last part was quite tricky with a lot of ruts and I used too much the banks with too many

mistakes. But in the end I enjoy and I’m happy to see you all again and let’s see if we can do another

rally this year.”

 

Car #25. ESAPEKKA LAPPI/JANNE FERM

“It was a strong weekend definitely. I am so grateful for my sponsors to have the chance to be here. I am

really glad that we had a high level of competition in our class. It went better than I expected. I could’ve

driven faster. There is no need to drive with the same ‘attack mode’ than in the WRC class.”

 

Find us in >> Instagram<<  Klick to see the latest and hottest of the rally!