Cartographer Janne Ferm, 44, bid farewell to the World Rally Championship on Sunday. Kartturi was surprised by the attention the decision attracted.
Esapekka Lapin worked as a map reader for a long time Janne Ferm announced the end of his World Cup career on Sunday in Chile. Reached from Madrid airport, Ferm was still shocked by the chaos that followed the announcement of the decision.
– The attention I got was the biggest shock. After the interruption in Chile, we had a long drive to the maintenance pit, which was already being dismantled. Then I was already taken everywhere there.
According to Fermi, emotions came to the surface immediately at the service park, when the closest people came to hug. After this, the karturikonkari was taken to an interview point, where the decision to quit was made concrete for the first time.
– I was asked separately to the interview area to talk about this, even though normally the carters have no need to go there. Now I had to experience that too.
– I had only thought that let’s jump out of the car, drink beers with loved ones, and that’s it, Ferm laughs.
The flood of messages that flowed into the phone also seemed alarming to the Finnish karttur.
– The messages have made me humble and grateful. Apparently something has been done right when so many people have sent nice words.
“Like life on a small scale”
Fermi and Lapi’s shared sky began in 2010, after which the duo drove 90 World Cup-level rallies together.
The star moments of his career included two victories in the World Rally Championship. The first came off the Finnish World Rally Championship in 2017 and the second from Sweden this year.
The couple reached the podium 15 times. In addition, Lappi and Ferm won the WRC2 title in the lower racing category of the World Championship with Skoda in 2016.
The Finnish karttur makes Sweden’s World Cup victory one of the most significant achievements of his career.
– There is so much relief and liberation associated with it in terms of emotional states. The relief and the long work that went into it. Many times it was on the edge of a knife that everything would end, and another victory would not come.
The last World Cup start of his career in Chile ended with an interruption on Sunday. Ferm describes his rally path as rich in gears.
– The rally is like life on a small scale. It has ups and downs, just like life.
The most special experiences and memories in the driver’s seat take place in the Safari rally in Kenya, where the Finnish duo competed twice, tinged with bad luck.
– When the car broke down in the middle of the forest on the African savanna, you couldn’t just get out. Then you could really be careful that some animal doesn’t stick to your leg right away.
– We looked at it for a while, but we had quite a bit of weather. There happened to be army people nearby with assault rifles, so I felt a little safer, Ferm laughs.
The future is open
Fermi’s decision to quit had been brewing for a long time. He already considered ending his World Cup career last season, but Lappi persuaded him to continue at that time. Kartturi is full of praise for Lapland, which has become a close friend to him over the years.
– It has been an honor to be next to him. We have learned a lot from each other and he is a great personality and a great person.
Although Ferm will retire in the World Series, he will drive in the Rally Legend in San Marino in October Heikki Kovalainen alongside. Other future plans are still under wraps.
– The idea has not yet become clear. Someone said it would be good to have a backup plan, but for once I’ve decided to go without plans. Let’s see what the future brings.
Although the end of the World Cup career is the end of an era, Ferm dreams of continuing with the sport.
– I strongly believe that I will still be seen in the rally pits. How about wearing a driving suit? I don’t think that will happen, Ferm concludes.