Roope Korhonen and Tuukka Kauppinen ready for Arctic Lapland Rally, Kauppinen also heads to Rally Sweden
Both drivers of Rautio Motorsport from Kalajoki are now focusing on the Arctic Lapland Rally in Rovaniemi. Tuukka Kauppinen, who debuted in the Finnish Rally Championship in Kuopio driving a Toyota, had an impressive performance by finishing second in his very first SM1-class event. In Rovaniemi, the young rally talent has even higher goals, aiming to fight for the victory. Kauppinen and his co-driver Sebastian Virtanen will face tough competition from within their own team, as Roope Korhonen and Anssi Viinikka return to the rally stages after a short break.
Last year’s Finnish champion, Roope Korhonen, is making a one-off return to the Finnish Rally Championship and will tackle the snowy stages of Rovaniemi with a Toyota Yaris Rally2, aiming for victory. Korhonen’s main focus this season lies on international stages, but the "Tunturi" rally serves as an excellent warm-up for Rally Sweden. After a driving break, Korhonen has conducted a few test sessions and is confident about his chances to fight for top positions.
“The route is always great, and this year there are a couple of new stages. There isn’t as much snow as in previous years, but the conditions are still typical for a winter rally. The goal is a good result so that we can head to Sweden with confidence," Korhonen explains.
Korhonen also had the opportunity to test the new winter rally tires from Hankook, the new tire supplier for the WRC.
“Hankook’s stud protrusion is smaller compared to the tires used in the Finnish Championship. On snowy surfaces, the grip felt a bit weaker, but on clean ice, the tires performed well in terms of grip," Korhonen analyzes.
Kauppinen also aims to be part of the fight for top positions but acknowledges the competition will be extremely tough. Esa-Pekka Lappi has announced his participation in the Finnish Rally Championship starting from the Arctic Lapland Rally, meaning the speed in the top class will be world-class.
“The tests went really well—we tried many different things and found a good rhythm. There will also be new challenges in Rovaniemi, such as considering tire preservation if the roads become rough," Kauppinen reflects.
Kauppinen to compete in Rally Sweden
Tuukka Kauppinen will take part in his second WRC event in mid-February in Umeå, Sweden. Last season, the young driver from Laukaa made his debut in WRC2 at Secto Rally Finland, and now he is preparing for his second WRC rally.
“This may sound like a cliché, but we are going to Sweden primarily to learn. Success in the WRC is built on experience, as the same stages are driven year after year. The Toyota suits me very well, so we might try to push hard on some stages, but the main goal is a clean rally and gaining valuable experience," Kauppinen states.
The Arctic Lapland Rally begins on Friday at 10:01 AM from Lordi Square, with the first competitors expected to reach the finish line at the same location on Saturday at 8:01 PM. The rally covers a total of 214 special stage kilometers, making it once again the longest Finnish Championship rally of the season.
Photo: Rautio Motorsport
