Hot shot Suninen targeting Citroen seat in a World Rally Car for next season

A Citroen seat is at the top of highly rated Finn Teemu Suninen’s list of priorities for next season.

Suninen was at the front of the WRC2 field again in Poland – his third victory of the year – and the 22-year-old is fast becoming the most sought after up-and-coming driver in the sport.

His manager Timo Jouhki, the man who guided the career of world champions like Tommi Makinen and Juha Kankkunen, is sure he will be ready for the step up to the top level next season.

Jouhki told MN: “With the development and progression he has been doing, he is ready for the World Rally Car next year and I’m pretty sure I can get him in. Citroen is the preferred option. Next one is either Hyundai or Tommi [Makinen, Toyota] and M-sport is the last one.

“The way Teemu has developed with the driving as well as with the head is very, very impressive. He has a good future.”

The Nicky Grist Stages also hosts the BTRDA, which only competes on Saturday’s stages. However, due to the MSA’S regulation on seeding, cars on the event will be seeded on pace and therefore the BTRDA runners will be intertwined with the BRC competitors on the day.

Charlie Payne (Ford Fiesta, right)) is the highest seeded BTRDA entry and he’ll be looking to see off his strongest title rival. Luke Francis (Mitsubishi Lancer E9) retired from the last round, the DMACK Carlisle Stages, and needs to win the next two of three rounds to have any chance of catching Payne. Last year the title was decided on this event, and Payne will be hoping for a similar result. The BTRDA brings its usual array of championships for 44.70 miles of stages; its sixth round of the eight event series.