No, writes Micke Suopuro, a rally journalist for Sports.
Micke Swamp Sports Submission
14.2. 20: 48 • Updated 14.2. 21:48
Sports follows the Swedish World Rally moment by moment throughout the race. You can follow here.
Kalle Rovanperä Fifth, 25 seconds from the tip. Sami Pajari ninth, more than a minute to the bow. Tuukka Kauppinen In their class seventh, with a good minute difference to the top.
For these Finns, the Swedish World Championship scoreboard does not look like a wedding.
The double world champion, Rovanperä, had to win in Sweden on the way. Pajari achieved his best at the top of Jyväskylä last year, after all, should time follow in high -speed snowfalls? Kauppinen defeated the ruling winner of the Swedish World Rally in the mountain rally Esapekka Lapland.
Should the situation be worried?
No.
Rovanperä drove both comprehensive tests for Sweden as well as the current rules. Their result was clear: Hankokok’s new tires do not serve the natural Rovanperä driving style.
Something had to be done. Rovanperä said he had applied for adjustments to his car to compensate for the problem.
Already in the morning, the loop showed that the compromise did not work.
This is the World Rally Championship: even Rovanperä can’t miracles without credit in the car. Although Rovanperä is undoubtedly the best in the world, the differences at the top are extremely small.
Sometimes adjustments hit, sometimes not. During the rally, there are only limited opportunities to change the selected approach.
The importance of trust is also speaks to Pajar’s situation. In the opening special test, Pajari was closed in the peak time until the innocent bench contact caused the tire to jump from the rim.
When the company is in the pin, the benches are leaning on Sweden more or less all the time. If you can’t trust this, driving will inevitably become more cautious.
What about Kauppinen? The difference to the top is of course, but the lead drives two consecutive class wins in Sweden Oliver Solbergwho could quite well run in the main class at the moment.
Occasionally Kauppinen put himself in the finish line, but according to the background forces, the rally promise is less likely to be satisfied with even the bottom times.
Driving was a bit over-business, but it lets it: An 18-year-old promise only drives another World Championship.
In the WRC2 class, there are several World Championship jockeys that have already shown and already showing their pace. It is really promising that Kauppinen will be racing in the same crowd, even though the ride is still far from what he knows he can do.
The fact that they have understood the expectations of outsiders are united by Rovanperä, Pajar and Kauppa. Still, the pressures have not changed their approach to the rally. The drivers know their own realities best.
Rovanperä waited for the difficulties of new tires and tried to react to this. Pajari wanted to chase the pure race, not the podium. Kauppinen’s goal was to learn the demands of the World Rally.
Each of the three has earned external expectations through their previous work. This is about their level.
It is essential that the pain has not led to a deeper dive in the embrace of the benches.
The Finnish rally day in Sweden was not as gloomy anyway as the results of the three -time trio could be more hasty.
For example Roope Korhonen Has fond of his pace after the disappointment of the Rovaniemi Championship Rally and is second in the WRC2 class. The second best pace of Rally3 cars has been 18 years old Ville Vatanenwho only drives in his first World Rally. In his second World Rally Leevi Lassila21, is third.
The situation of the Swedish World Rally