Teemu Suninen moved into the lead of the WRC2 category at Rally Portugal 2026 after delivering a consistent performance throughout Saturday morning’s stages. The Finnish driver used the changing road conditions to place his Toyota Rally2 machine at the top of the overall class standings.
Suninen started the day in fourth position in WRC2 but climbed into the lead after completing four special stages with competitive pace and minimal mistakes. His advantage has now grown to nearly 20 seconds over the chasing pack, while Lancia driver Yohan Rossel, winner of the previous two rounds, remains firmly in contention.
The dry gravel conditions during the morning loop suited the characteristics of Suninen’s Toyota Rally2 setup. Strong traction stability and balanced handling on loose surfaces became key factors that allowed the Finnish driver to maintain consistent stage times throughout the opening section of the day.
“A pretty good morning. We gained 20 seconds over the last ten stages. In the morning we were able to drive in conditions this car is already familiar with. The first rally was on slightly different roads. The package worked well and we managed to get through without any punctures,” said Suninen.
However, the threat of rain later in the day could significantly alter the WRC2 battle. Suninen admitted he has limited experience driving the car in extreme muddy conditions, particularly on Portugal’s gravel roads, where grip levels can change rapidly after rainfall.
“I hope there will not be too much rain. On gravel roads, the pace seems quite good right now. But if it rains, we have to accept the challenge and make some adjustments to the car for muddy conditions. I have never driven in conditions like that before,” he added.
Meanwhile, Roope Korhonen dropped to fourth position after losing time during Saturday morning’s stages. The Finnish driver now trails Suninen by 29.9 seconds after the final morning stage was heavily influenced by rain and rapidly changing grip conditions.
The evolving weather conditions benefited Gus Greensmith, who started further down the order and encountered improved road conditions as the rain eased. Greensmith delivered a highly competitive stage time and finished more than 30 seconds ahead of Korhonen in the stage.
Korhonen felt he had already driven close to the limit despite the difficult conditions, although the changing weather significantly increased the impact of road position and surface evolution across the field.
“We pushed as hard as possible in the final section. At the finish, I thought we had achieved a good time. The rain stopped toward the end of the stage and after that the road conditions seemed to improve. You could not really drive any faster on that road,” Korhonen explained.
The WRC2 battle is now expected to intensify further during the afternoon loop, especially if rain returns to the Portuguese gravel stages. Tyre strategy, setup adjustments, and the ability to adapt to changing grip conditions are likely to become decisive factors in the fight for victory this weekend.
Baca Juga
Teemu Suninen mengambil alih pimpinan WRC2 di Reli Portugal 2026 setelah tampil konsisten bersama Toyota Rally2 dalam kondisi lintasan berubah.
Gregoire Munster kehilangan peluang kemenangan di Monteberg Rally Belgia setelah memimpin awal reli sebelum terkena masalah ban.
Roope Korhonen menargetkan kemenangan WRC2 di Reli Portugal 2026 setelah tes gravel positif jelang seri WRC pekan ini.
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