Heikkilä’s home rally ends in Päijälä

Mikko Heikkilä’s Secto Rally Finland has ended as the pair rolled on Päijälä 1 stage. Both Heikkilä and co-driver Temonen are ok. Heikkilä, who’s rally was compromised on Friday due to rain showers hitting on his path, set out for good stage times on Saturday.

Finnish rally driver Mikko Heikkilä and co-driver Kristian Temonen have retired from the Secto Rally Finland on the Päijälä 1 stage. The pair went out of the road on a fast left-hand bend. Both Heikkilä and Temonen are unharmed in the aftermath of the accident.

Heikkilä’s rally started promisingly with the Skoda-driver being P2 in the WRC2 category on Friday morning, but Friday afternoon’s heavy rain showers hit on the path of Heikkilä twice, costing the Finn a minute. Starting eight in category for Saturday, Heikkilä was aiming for good stage times, with a 3rd fastest time on the opening stage of the day, but the rally was ended for the pair on SS12 – Päijälä 1.

-We made a conscious decision to go for it despite the risks. On Päijälä, after a jump going into a fast left-hand bend we had a bit too much speed going in and we went wide and the car started to roll. We hit an electrical pole, which steered us clear from anything else, and we are both OK with Kristian. It was a very fast section, so we had some luck with the fact that we didn’t end up worse, Heikkilä recapped the situation.

-This is far from what we set out for, but our rally was ruined already yesterday with the showers. That wasn’t our own doing, but this one was. We just had a bit too much speed, not much, but just enough and not enough road.

The home event was an anticipated event, and the support of the Finnish home crowd was heard and seen inside the TGS Motorsport Skoda’s cabin.

-We’ve received so much support from both on stages and social media, and it feels really nice, a big thanks for everyone cheering for us. I want to extend my thanks and apologies to my partners as well, Heikkilä said.