Kristensson does the double

Tom Kristensson did the double at this weekend’s Rally Sweden – securing victory on the outlet spherical of the FIA Junior WRC Championship for the 2d yr in succession. Setting three fastest stage instances, Kristensson aged his native files to full be pleased to gain the victory with a valorous 37.8 2d advantage.

His victory also sees Swedish drivers continue to dominate their home match in the FIA Junior WRC Championship – Kristensson’s victory this weekend including to his maiden blueprint end final yr as effectively as that of Dennis Rådström in 2018 and Per-Gunnar Andersson in 2006.

Turning in a extremely consistent and aggressive efficiency – which incorporated a fastest time thru the first pass of most modern stage Nyckelvattnet (SS4) – Latvia’s Martin Sesks bought his season off to a solid start with 2d position. And Ken Torn recovered from an excursion into the ditch on the pause of Saturday’s Torsby Shuffle (SS16) to gain the third step of the podium.

Finland’s Sami Pajari demonstrated his mosey doable with the fastest time thru the 2d pass of Nyckelvattnet (SS7) to gain fourth position. And Romanian driver Raul Badiu perfected the Torsby Shuffle – environment the fastest time on every passes (SS8 and SS16) to spherical off the final top-five.

Flawless performances from Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zaldivar and Salubrious Britain’s Ruairi Bell noticed them gain sixth and seventh locations respectively. And Sweden’s Pontus Lönnström showed factual trudge after a puncture value the rookie better than three minutes on the outlet stage (SS2) – environment the fastest time thru the 2d pass of Finnskogen (SS6) as effectively because the Energy Stage (SS18) to get better eighth position general.

There was final-stage heartbreak for fellow rookie Lauri Joona who had been heading in the right direction for third position. Selecting up a puncture thru the closing kilometres, the Finn was cruelly relegated from third to ninth but could per chance well also merely serene decide encouragement from what was a valorous efficiency this weekend.

Attending to grips with the weird and wonderful terrain, the Italian delegation done all of the stages with Marco Pollara claiming the final championship point in tenth position, and Enrico Oldrati and Tommaso Ciuffi ending factual scared of the tip-ten in 11th and 12th.

Oscar Solberg also picked up a puncture thru the final stage which noticed him relegated out of doorways of the points, and the Norwegian’s match was also marred by an electrical voice causing an intermittent misfire. He performed the match in 13th position forward of Catie Munnings who was making improvements to from a double puncture thru the outlet mosey take a look at (SS2).

Elsewhere, Jon Armstrong was discovering his rhythm and environment factual splits sooner than a high-mosey accident noticed his Fiesta flung into the air on Friday’s Nyckelvattnet stage (SS4). Both Jon and co-driver Noel O’Sullivan had been unharmed in the incident, but it brought their rally to an early pause.

Fabio Andolfi was also heading in the right direction for points sooner than going off the toll road on the pause of Friday’s Torsby Shuffle (SS8). Wretchedness from this then ended in a water pump failure and lack of coolant thru the 2d pass of Finnskogen (SS6) on Saturday.

FIA Junior WRC Supervisor, Maciej Woda, said:

“Congratulations to Tom on his 2d Rally Sweden victory, and as well to co-driver Joakim on his first. They honestly didn’t build a foot nefarious all weekend and showed trudge, consistency and a artful formula to bring a the truth is richly deserved victory.

“But we also noticed some advantageous performances from the likes of Martin, Ken and Raul who build final yr’s skills to very factual spend, as effectively as some very impressive shows from our rookies – Sami and Pontus every exhibiting stage-suited trudge an Lauri being very unlucky thru that final stage.

“I would also treasure to divulge how grateful the Junior WRC are to Glenn Olsson and the Rally Sweden team. They’ve all labored extremely exhausting to make definite that this match went forward in what had been some very nerve-racking prerequisites; and that exhausting work has resulted in a immense opening spherical to our championship.

“At final a huge thanks to all 16 crews for rising the kind of immense atmosphere across the carrier park. I’m capable of already behold some end bonds forming amongst our rivals, and it’s advantageous to behold all of them working and socialising so effectively together while also combating it out so fiercely on the stages. Congratulations to all people this weekend, and we inspect forward to extra of the identical in Sardinia!”

Tom Kristensson (1st) said:

“It’s repeatedly complicated to search out the words for a moment treasure this, but here is the end result I dreamed of from the starting set aside. We had a the truth is solid start on the first stages and factual persisted with factual trudge and factual mosey. It’s every other improbable end result and I’m so cheerful and so thankful to all individuals who helped me. The team were brilliant and this vehicle is helpful to force. The total lot labored so effectively all weekend and all I’m capable of verbalize is that I’m so cheerful and so thankful.”

 

Martins Sesks (2nd) said:

“I’m feeling the truth is factual and I divulge here’s a immense start to the season for us. We delivered some delicate driving, with no accurate dangers, and factual constructed up the boldness in the future of the weekend.”  

Ken Torn (3rd) said:

“This yr we delivered reasonably a clear mosey and it was noteworthy better than the years sooner than. After we noticed Lauri [Joona] having his problems in the final stage we lifted the throttle and factual made it safely to the be pleased.”

Sami Pajari (4th) said:

“I divulge we had factual trudge this weekend, and it was especially factual on Saturday. It was a dinky sad that we weren’t as posthaste first and significant of the rally, because then we would bear had of venture at 2d, but that is rallying and I’m serene cheerful.”

Raul Badiu (fifth) said:

“It’s a the truth is factual start to the season. Fifth position in a field crammed with Scandinavians is handsome factual and we also had two stage wins which was a huge self perception booster – especially as we’ve no longer had a upright take a look at or the relaxation treasure that since Finland final yr. It feels the truth is factual to start the season treasure this, and I’m having a see forward to Sardinia and a floor that I the truth is treasure.”

Fabrizio Zaldivar (6th) said:

“For us this end result was reasonably significantly better than final yr. The necessities had been the truth is hard but the organisers did a immense job bringing a factual rally for us. We tried to adapt as most tremendous we could per chance well also, but serene we desire to be taught extra to be faster.”

Ruairi Bell (Seventh) said:

“It’s been a brilliant weekend with heaps of discovering out. I’ve taken the entirety I’m capable of in and the trudge on the pause was getting noteworthy better. So optimistically we can decide that forward to Sardinia.”

Pontus Lönnström (Eighth) said:

“It was no longer so factual in the starting set aside with a puncture. But we managed to catch two stage wins and divulge some very factual trudge – so that was factual.”

Lauri Joona (ninth) said:

“Sadly we had a puncture on the final stage. But we showed factual trudge in the weekend so we could per chance well also merely feel free with that.”

Marco Pollara (10th) said:

“This was a the truth is exhausting rally and I am very pleased with my first point in the Junior WRC Championship. Now we’ll behold you in Sardinia where we will push exhausting.”

Enrico Oldrati (11th) said:

“It wasn’t a in point of fact straight forward rally but we made it. The necessities had been very tough with diverse changes of prerequisites – mud and ice and all very slippery. But we bought diverse skills and the subsequent one shall be my home match in Sardinia so let’s behold what we shall be pleased there.”

Tommaso Ciuffi (12th) said:

“For me it was no longer a in point of fact straight forward rally and we will try to red meat up for the subsequent one in Sardinia.”

Oscar Solberg (13th) said:

“The M-Sport guys tried to repair the engine but it wasn’t possible which was unlucky for me so I’ll factual want to end reduction reduction stronger on the subsequent rally.”

Catie Munnings (14th) said:

“I divulge I’ve learnt quite a bit this weekend regarding the vehicle and as well about driving on this floor with studs. It was an recommended skills and one which I’ll take into accout with out waste. I factual inspect forward to the subsequent one and optimistically doing a dinky of checking out and getting some factual kilometres in preparation for Sardinia.”