Podium finish from Rally Sweden

Lauri Joona finished third in WRC Rally Sweden

Three rallies - three podium finishes. Lauri Joona's rally year has started excellently.

Kuva: Honza Fronek

The second WRC rally of the 2026 season was completed on Sunday in Sweden. For Lauri Joona and Antti Linnaketo the only snow rally on the WRC calendar, driven around Umeå was their first WRC start of the season. The two of them have achieved two podium finishes in the Finnish Rally Championship series races they have driven in the beginning of the year, and no less was aimed for in Sweden either.

Kuva: Honza Fronek

Lauri Joona drove the entire race confidently and without mistakes. On Thursday evening, he was the fastest WRC2 class driver in the opening special stage of the rally and also recorded the fastest WRC2 time in the first special stage on Saturday morning.

- There were more positives than negatives in the race. We could have done better on the second runs of the special stages, that was our Achilles heel this time, said Joona at the finish.

Photo: Bencephoto

The leader of the WRC2 class of the World Rally Championship in Sweden was Roope Korhonen. On the first loop on Friday Lauri Joona had a tight race for second place with Teemu Suninen and after the day care Joona’s position was consolidated in third. In the WRC2 Challenger class, Joona collected the second largest points pot. Challenger program is open to drivers who have not previously won a WRC2 championship or who have not driven for a WRC1 team in their career for team points.

- Overall a good race. We got on the podium and had a couple of fatsest stage times. We were in the "zone" in terms of speed so it’s good to continue the season from here, sums up Joona.

The next time Lauri Joona and Antti Linnaketo will compete is at the end of February in the Finnish Rally Championship in Riihimäki. The next World Rally Championship start will be announced a little later.

Final results: World Rally Sweden, WRC2

1. Roope Korhonen (FIN) 2:46:29.3

2. Teemu Suninen (FIN) +10.2

3. Lauri Joona - Antti Linnaketo (FIN) +58.4

4. Taylor Gill (AUS) +2:34.2

5. Isak Reiersen (SWE) +2:56.9