Emil Lindholm: 'No ghosts in my head – we are fighting for bronze medals'
FRC-series season’s last and conclusive competition for the final podium places is driven this upcoming weekend around Salo and Turku areas. Team GRX’s Emil Lindholm and Mikael Korhonen are starting the season’s final rally from the third place of overall standings.
Twosome’s Volkswagen Polo GTI R5, which got wrecked in a mishap in Laitila, is in shape for this upcoming weekend.
“We had a test day in Mäntyharju and our car was working excellent. The car was good to drive like it’s been all this season. It was also nice to notice I didn’t have any ghosts in my head from Laitila. I could drive like usual”, tells Lindholm.
“This has been a difficult and two sided season. Winter went as good as it can ever go. We won two FRC-rallies and got second place from WRC2-class in Rally Sweden. This summer nothing worked as we planned. The only flash of light was Rally Finland where we got to drive one full day of rally and had bunch of fastest times on special stages. Other than that the season has been rough. Our goal for the final competition is to drive a good, full rally and have a nice ending for this season”, says Lindholm.
Lindholm and Korhonen are on third position in SM1-class standings before this weekend. From the final rally, driven in Salo and Turku areas, they’re getting 1,5 SM-points instead of 1, which is calculated on the final overall standings.
“Last year the SM second overall place felt pretty good but the third position wasn’t what we were going after early this season. Even though we don’t have a chance for the gold or silver medals, bronze is still a medal and that’s what we want”, says Lindholm.
“This weekend the weather is unpredictable because during the nights temperatures could drop below freezing. I believe and know that Michelin soft tires also work well on cool conditions, so all we need to do is drive”, Lindholm reminds.
Rally’s SM-series final competition, Mad-Croc SM Rally, starts from Salo City Hall on Friday at 19:01. The opening night has two special stages, together 24,38km. Rally continues on Saturday at 10:00 from Neste K Paimio. During the day there is seven special stages, overall 77,62km. First drivers are expected after the Metsämäki racetrack’s audience special stage in Turku, length 1,26km, on the finish line at the racetrack starting at 17:33.
Photo: Merita Mäkinen
