Mikko Hirvonen (TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRC Challenge Program chief instructor):
“This was a challenging first rally of the season with some difficult conditions. The roads didn’t have much of an ice base and a lot of loose snow, so there were a lot of grip changes and surprises. Jaspar started very strongly with the second-fastest time in SS1, so it’s unfortunate that his rally ended on the next stage. We know that he has a lot of potential and speed and he just needs to learn from this and look forward. For Takumi and Shotaro it was a solid drive; they didn’t get stressed, they kept their heads and finished the rally with some very valuable kilometres under their belt. The level at the front of the Finnish championship is really high, and I’m sure they will have some good ideas of where they can improve relative to the competition. Meanwhile, Rio and Kanta positively surprised us in their first winter rallies, and their first in Rally3 cars. In testing, they didn’t find the step up to four-wheel drive easy at first and they weren’t sure on the best approach and driving style. But this was a very good performance and a really encouraging rally for both of them. With a new car and new conditions, it’s not easy to know the right speed, but this shows they are on the right track and hopefully they can keep developing from here.”

Shotaro Goto
“Before the rally I was feeling quite nervous because the pre-event testing on snow had not been easy for me, so I knew that I really needed to focus on finishing this rally. Between the conditions, the car and the tyre, it was a lot of new experiences, and I was struggling to find the limits of the grip. We made some setup changes during the mid-day service and that was working well, and I could feel that the pace was getting better. We finished the rally, we tried many things and we were able to learn a lot, so I’m looking forward to the next rally.”

Takumi Matsushita
“I’m very happy to start driving the GR Yaris Rally2 car and I was very excited to start this rally, but the main goal was to finish and gain the experience. I found it very difficult, especially in the first loop, with very difficult conditions that I haven’t experienced before. I couldn’t anticipate what the grip was going to be in each corner, so I was hesitating and braking too early. In the second loop I think the road condition became better, and my feeling was getting better and better all the time. Even though I was struggling at first, I think it was a positive rally. I learned a lot and finished the rally and will try to find a better rhythm before Arctic Rally.”

Jaspar Vaher
“I was feeling good coming into this event and quite comfortable in the car after the pre-event test days we had. The time on the first stage was surprisingly good, because for me it had felt like quite a cautious run. The second stage was much more slippery because there was a lot of loose snow on top, and the car was sliding quite a bit as a result. In one narrow place there was a left-hand bend over a crest followed by a right-hand corner which tightened quite a lot – more than I had expected. We went wide and unfortunately couldn’t save it, as we hit the rockface on the outside which ripped a wheel off and we got stuck in the ditch. It’s a big disappointment of course, but I will try to learn from it as much as I can and stay positive for the next rally.”

Rio Ogata
“It’s great to achieve this result for everyone who is supporting me in this Program. I feel I was just driving my own pace. In SS3, which was the longest stage, I gained a lot of time, but I think the others were maybe just too careful. I had two small moments during the day, where I had too much entry speed and slid wide, but I think I could control those moments because of the four-wheel drive. Just like in my first ever rally last year in Turku, the instructors told me that this rally is just to get accustomed to the new car and conditions, so I was feeling relaxed and not too anxious about securing the result.”

Kanta Yanaguida
“This was a good rally for me and I’m very happy, though I would be even happier if I had won! In the first loop, on SS2 and SS3, I couldn’t stay on the clean line and went many times off the line, where there was no grip. I was able to adjust this for the second loop, when the grip was getting better and then I felt very good. I still need some more experience and to build my confidence, but this is a good start to the year. Rally3 is a big step, and with four-wheel drive, the driving style and lines are different, but it’s faster and more enjoyable to drive.”