Roope Korhonen has been forced to face a harsh reality in his WRC2 campaign. The Laukaa driver admitted that his title hopes are now all but over after failing to finish at Rally Finland last weekend.
Korhonen arrived at his home event leading the WRC2 standings, just four points ahead of Robert Virves. But instead of extending his lead, he went off on Saturday at the Vastila test, scoring no points while Virves claimed his fourth win of the season. The Estonian now holds a 21-point advantage.
“This rally was pretty much the final blow. I don’t know if there’s some theoretical possibility, but it’s no longer in our hands in any way,” Korhonen told Rally Journal. He added that the team had tried everything, but sometimes the risks taken backfire.
With only seven rounds counting for points in the class, the failure in Finland was a heavy blow. Korhonen has now made six WRC2 starts this season, and closing a 21-point gap to Virves looks increasingly unlikely.
A Bold Gamble That Backfired
Korhonen admitted he was in a must-win situation. “We had to try. It would have been frustrating to lose without trying when the margins are so small and you’re looking for tenths everywhere. Maybe that was the wrong place to try to find them, but there’s nothing you can do about it,” he said.
The failure is a reminder of the risks young drivers often face. The pressure to perform in front of home fans can lead to aggressive decisions. However, Korhonen insists he won't change his season plans. “Yes, we’ll definitely go to Sardinia. I don’t think this changes that,” he added.
With three or four rounds remaining, including Paraguay and Chile before Sardinia, Korhonen can only hope Virves makes a mistake. For now, the WRC2 title is slipping away.
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