Cookie Consent by Free Privacy Policy website NESTE Rally Finland: ŠKODA privateer Pietarinen wins WRC 2, ŠKODA junior Rovanperä fourth
luglio 29, 2018 - Skoda Racing

NESTE Rally Finland: ŠKODA privateer Pietarinen wins WRC 2, ŠKODA junior Rovanperä fourth

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› Surprising first victory in a WRC 2 championship event for Finnish ŠKODA customer team Eerik Pietarinen/Juhana Raitanen › After suspension damage cost them the WRC 2 lead on Saturday, 17 years old ŠKODA junior #kallerovanpera and co-driver Jonne Halttunen set all fastest times during final leg › Victory number seven for a ŠKODA crew from eight rallies of 2018 WRC 2 championship Jyväskylä, 29 July 2018 – For the best part of three days of NESTE #rally Finland ŠKODA’s 17 years old #kallerovanpera (FIN) and co-driver Jonne Halttunen (FIN) looked like the dominant winners of the WRC 2 category. But during Saturday’s penultimate stage the left front suspension broke when the car hit a rock under braking. After roadside emergency repairs, the two Finns managed to finish the day in fourth position. With a stunning race to catch up, they set all fastest times in WRC 2 during the last leg and finally missed the podium by just 1.9 seconds. While Rovanperä’s factory teammates Ole Christian Veiby/Stig Rune Skjaermœn (NOR/NOR) had to retire after an accident on Saturday, local ŠKODA privateers Eerik Pietarinen/Juhana Raitanen (FIN/FIN) won the WRC 2 category with an impressive performance. During the Sunday leg of NESTE #rally Finland, ŠKODA customer crew Eerik Pietarinen/Juhana Raitanen controlled their lead in the WRC 2 category up to the finish line in Jyväskylä. After the final four stages, totalling around 46 kilometres, the locals celebrated the most important victory of their career so far. Meanwhile ŠKODA junior #kallerovanpera and co-driver Jonne Halttunen not only proved, that they were by far the fastest WRC 2 pairing at NESTE #rally Finland. They also demonstrated advanced skills as car mechanics following an incident during Saturday’s penultimate stage. After hitting a rock, hidden in the deep ruts on the #racing line, the front left suspension of their ŠKODA FABIA R5 broke. Giving up was never an option for the 17 years old Finn and his codriver. They successfully performed emergency repairs at the roadside, cautiously drove the leg’s last stage and managed to bring the car back to service – still holding fourth position in WRC 2! During the same Special Stage 18 teammates Ole Christian Veiby/Stig Rune Skjaermœn went off at high speed. Thanks to the complete safety package of their ŠKODA FABIA R5 the two Norwegians escaped the multiple roll without injuries.

Further information in the press release to download