KMS Racing to host three cars for Secto Rally Finland
KMS Racing, the official M-Sport partner in Finland, is all set to take on the thrilling Secto Rally Finland. Fielding I'm feeling great aftercars of their own as well as helping the Turkish WRC3 contestant Ali Turkkan, KMS Racing’s main event of the year is bound to be a busy one.
Behind the wheel of the powerful four-wheel-drive Ford Fiesta Rally3 is Ville Laakso, tearing up the tracks with the number 61. It's Laakso's first time at WRC Finland, and the Finn is eager to contest in his first ever WRC event. Guiding Laakso through the fast gravel stages of Central Finland will be Jani Luhtaniemi, familiar from KMS Racing's service in the Tunturi Rally as well as a podium-finisher in the team’s Rally3 Fiesta at the opening round of FRC, Arctic Lapland Rally. Laakso will also debut the new Ford Fiesta Rally3 Evo in Jyväskylä.
“I'm feeling fantastic after testing as well as recce. The roads are amazing, and I'm ecstatic to get my first WRC Finland going," Laakso said.
Experienced driver Raimo Kaisanlahti will be commanding the front-wheel-drive Ford Fiesta Rally4 with the number 81. This year’s event will be marking Kaisanlahti’s 18th appearance at WRC Finland rally. Providing the pace notes for Kaisanlahti will be Patric Öhman.
"I had driven in the local championship rounds for seven years when I drove my first Jyväskylä in 2005. It was a great dream that came true that year. Originally, I had decided that once I’m through Jyväskylä it’s enough for me, rally has given me everything. As it turns out, here we are once again, Kaisanlahti laughs.
In addition to their two own cars, KMS Racing will be handling the service and support for the Turkish pair, Ali Türkkan and Burak Erdener, as they charge forward with their Ford Fiesta Rally3. Working hand-in-hand with Türkkan's own outfit, the Castrol Ford Team Turkey, KMS Racing brings its expertise to the collaboration. Türkkan and Erdener have impressed in the previous round of the championship, securing a fourth place in class at the WRC Estonia.
The WRC Secto Rally Finland will take place from August 3rd to 6th in Jyväskylä. The event consists of 22 special stages and covers a total of 320.56 kilometers of thrilling action. The event can be followed through the WRC+ platform, Cmore streaming service, and local YLE Ralliradio.
Photo: Merita Mäkinen
