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The Fiesta SportTrophy (FST) Finland continued on the extremely fast and demanding gravel roads of the Kouvola Rally, which was the second round of the new series. There were five new Fiestas competing when two drivers had to cancel their entry due to working commitments.
It was again Jussi Kumpumäki and co-driver Jani Laaksonen who clinched the class victory. They finished in a well-deserved fifth place in the event. The pair now also lies fifth in the highly competitive, front-wheel-drive, Finnish Championship series.
As Kumpumäki remarked after the event, "We had a totally clear rally event without any technical problems or mistakes. After halfway there were already big gaps so I decided not to take any risks with my driving."
Second in the class was Atte Alanen. The promising driver had hit unlucky problems in the first stage, but further into the event he showed competitive speed and was the fastest Fiesta driver in three stages.
"The rear wheel jammed because of loose rock and I had to stop mid-stage and remove the wheel which cost me nearly three minutes," commented Alanen. "The second part of the event was really good and I was pleased with my stage times as I was fifth fastest overall in those stages."
Third in Fiesta R2 class was Raimo Kaisanlahti.
The series will continue in WRC Neste Oil Rally in Jyväskylä - a real highlight for the FST Finland competitors.
FST Finland points after 2/6 rounds:
Jussi Kumpumäki: 52
Raimo Kaisanlahti: 30
Atte Alanen: 20
Christoffer Dahlström: 18
Pekka Savela: 17
Jaakko Tapper: 10 |
