Strong performance in Italy – victory was only 0.1 seconds away

Lauri Joona and Co-driver Antti Linnaketo take a part of Rally Città di Modena in Italy, which was held in Maranello in Ferrari's hometown. The six-stage competition offered a fast-paced and varied challenge on Italian tarmac roads where the duo was driven with the familiar team MS Munaretto's Škoda Fabia Rally2.

-The roads is quite nice and smooth, but there are also bumps and cutting spots. You need to be careful in all directions, especially if gravel gets on the road, Joona estimated after the recce.

The start of the competition was held in the one and only Ferrari Museum in Maranello. From there the competitors headed towards Saturday's special stages. Saturday's program included one special stage twice, once in the daylight and once in the dark.

On the opening special stage, Joona started the competition strongly and drived the second fastest time in overall. As the evening got dark, the gap to the top widened a bit on the second special stage, but the positions for Sunday remained very stabile.

-There were a lot of people along the stages and the feeling was great. The driving was also really good from the first stage. When driving in the dark, the importance of the pacenotes and the experience of the road is emphasized but again better than in the previous race, Joona commented at the end of Saturday.

Sunday's Rally day started again with two special stages in the back. After the morning loop the pverall situation was still completely the same – Joona and local Antonio Rusce shared exactly the same total time.

-The morning was quite good. We were a little behind on the first special stage, as the road was wider but on the second stage which was slightly narrower, we made the fastest time. It will definitely be a tight race right to the end, Joona summed up after the morning.

After the midday service, the same spevial stages than the morning was run again. On the first special stage of the afternoon, Joona was 1.9 seconds behind Rusce so the figt for the win went to the final special stage of the competition.

On the last special stage, Joona answered the call by driving a 1.8-second faster time than others. However, it was not quite enough for victory and at the finish the difference to the winner was extremely narrow, only 0.1 seconds.

-On the first special stage of the afternoon, we were again a little behind as it was a wider road, where you have to know how to use the road extremely well. After that stage I'm just tried to give it our all on the last one. We gave it our all there but it wasn't quite enough for victory. We have never been so close/far from victory. Anyway, It was a great race overall although it does hurt a little, of course. However, we gained experience on the tarmac again and the driving was clearly better compared to the previous race, Joona sums up the at the end of the race.

The weekend gave valuable experience on tarmac surface and confidence for the next races. Next it's time to switch from asphalt to a more familiar gravel surface.

Final results Rally Citta di Modena:

1. Rusce - Zanni 40:17.3

2. JOONA - LINNAKETO + 0.1

3. Tosi - Del Barba + 15.5

4. Arati - Rocca + 19.2

5. Capelli- Del Rio + 49.1