Reigning Finnish Champion Asunmaa to challenge the ERC stars in Estonia
03.07.2024
|
834
Skoda Motorsport Finland’s Teemu Asunmaa, co-driven by Ville Mannisenmäki, are mounting a challenge for the upcoming Delfi Rally Estonia this weekend. The three-day event, running as a part of the ERC, is Asunmaa’s career first European Rally Championship event. The 38-year-old reigning Finnish champion is aiming to perform in his A game this weekend.
-The level of competition in ERC is high and there’s no other way around it. The series regulars of course have more experience with the events and format of the championship, but we are all on the same starting line in the end. I’m not taking any unnecessary pressure about the finishing, but of course the goals need to be set high every time we compete in an event. Personally, I’m aiming for a good trouble-free event with the least amount of mistakes possible, Asunmaa explained.
Even though Asunmaa has been competing around the Baltic region in events such as Lithuania’s Rally Rokiskis and Latvia’s Rally Sarma, it’s the four-time national FRC1 category champion’s career second event in Estonia. Pirelli-driver focuses on the importance of reconnaissance in the event including almost 190 special stage kilometres.
-The roads in Estonia are quite close to the ones we have in Finland. The road surface and gravel will be a bit different, and the ruts will be deeper on the second pass than they would be in Finland. The reconnaissance plays an important role here, as all the roads are unfamiliar to me, Asunmaa analyzed.
The upcoming event will be the last major event of Asunmaa in preparation for his big home event, Secto Rally Finland.
-ERC Estonia fits nicely into our calendars, between the previous round of FRC and WRC Finland. And ERC is an interesting and highly competitive series worth of experience at least once, Asunmaa said.
Delfi Rally Estonia is held in Otepää, Estonia between 5th and 7th of July. The rally consists of 14 special stages and 187,64 special stage kilometres.
Delfi Rally Estonia itinerary
Friday 5.7. – 1,48 km
19:35 SS1 – Tartu Vald 1 1,48 km
Saturday 6.7. – 117,90 km
08:04 SS2 – Raanitsa 1 21,45 km
09:02 SS3 – Karaski 1 11,97 km
10:50 SS4 – Raanitsa 2 21,45 km
11:48 SS5 – Karaski 2 11,97 km
14:08 SS6 – Kanepi 1 10,04 km
15:31 SS7 – Maekula 1 14,68 km
17:19 SS8 – Kanepi 2 10,04 km
18:42 SS9 – Maekula 2 14,68 km
20:00 SS10 – Elva Linn 1,56 km
Sunday 7.7. – 68,32 km
09:34 SS11 – Otepää 1 12,85 km
10:35 SS12 – Kambja 1 21,31 km
12:56 SS13 – Otepää 2 12,85 km
15:05 SS14 – Kambja 2 21,31 km
