The Finnish season starts in the snow and Asunmaa excelled in the winter conditions. The opening round of the season was the Arctic Lapland Rally which took place around the northern city of Rovaniemi. In a thrilling season opener, Asunmaa made up 24.4 seconds on Juha Salo on a frantic final special stage to take the win by just 7.7 seconds. It was his first ever rally in the SM1 class and in a FABIA R5 and only his second ever victory in a Finnish championship event after the 2015 SM Pohjanmaa Ralli. And there were more to come.
He took maximum points from the following two rallies of the season as well, finishing first in the Finnish rankings and second overall at the SM Vaakuna Ralli before winning the Tahko SM Ralli by a margin of 6.2 seconds from Salo again.
After a perfect winter season, the Finnish championship then moved into summer mode and Asunmaa’s fortunes were more mixed. He finished third at the next round, the Riihimäki-Ralli, part of a FABIA R5 ‘One-Two-Three-Four’ finish, although he was just 4 seconds behind the overall winner. A crash ended his challenge at the SM O.K. Auto-Ralli in the fifth round, and he was fourth at the SM Oili Jalonen Ralli in round six.
Teemu Asunmaa at the Finnish Rally Championship 2017
The Finnish season starts in the snow and Asunmaa excelled in the winter conditions. The opening round of the season was the Arctic Lapland Rally which took place around the northern city of Rovaniemi. In a thrilling season opener, Asunmaa made up 24.4 seconds on Juha Salo on a frantic final special stage to take the win by just 7.7 seconds. It was his first ever rally in the SM1 class and in a FABIA R5 and only his second ever victory in a Finnish championship event after the 2015 SM Pohjanmaa Ralli. And there were more to come.
He took maximum points from the following two rallies of the season as well, finishing first in the Finnish rankings and second overall at the SM Vaakuna Ralli before winning the Tahko SM Ralli by a margin of 6.2 seconds from Salo again.
After a perfect winter season, the Finnish championship then moved into summer mode and Asunmaa’s fortunes were more mixed. He finished third at the next round, the Riihimäki-Ralli, part of a FABIA R5 ‘One-Two-Three-Four’ finish, although he was just 4 seconds behind the overall winner. A crash ended his challenge at the SM O.K. Auto-Ralli in the fifth round, and he was fourth at the SM Oili Jalonen Ralli in round six.
Teemu Asunmaa at the Finnish Rally Championship 2017
