M-SPORT BUOYED BY SUNINEN’S SWEDEN PACE

Teemu Suninen’s rally-leading performance in Sweden is a warning that M-sport’s rivals shouldn’t discount the British squad, according to team principal Richard Millener.

The 25-year-old Finn led the Torsby-based event at the end of the first day, but his hopes of a maiden victory were spoiled when he slid off the road on Saturday’s second stage.

Millener says the Swedish performance makes up for a disappointing season-opener in Monte Carlo, where both Suninen and team-mate Elfyn Evans went off the road.

Millener told MN: “After a bad Monte Carlo, I think some people were saying: ‘I hope this isn’t the future…’ So to have this result here is perfect. We’ve been able to bounce back straight away and show people immediately what we’re capable of doing. This has motivated and pushed the team on even more – and it’s shown everybody that we’re not here to be discounted.

“We’re here to get in the fight and push for the wins and that’s what we’re going to do. In the days before Seb [Ogier] came, we were perhaps seen as the team that was not fighting for the victories. We got the odd podium here and there, but they came through misfortune. Then we upped the game and won three championships – what we’ve done in Sweden is demonstrate that we are still a threat.

“We want people to look at the line-up before rallies and say, ‘Yes, Elfyn and Teemu are a threat…’ We don’t want to be the team that might have a chance of the win if everybody else has a problem.”

Before the season, M-sport managing director Malcolm Wilson insisted there would be no let-up in the effort or investment in performance from the Cumbrian team.

Finn Suninen said his pace – and that of his Welsh team-mate Evans – last week was testament to that policy.

While Suninen went off the road again, forcing a replacement bar in the Fiesta’s rollcage before he returned on Sunday, Evans set three fastest times, went third quickest on the powerstage and placed the sister Fiesta fifth.