Rally Italia Sardegna : Teemu Suninen wins in WRC3, Eric Camilli shines in WRC2

After a ten-year absence from rally, the Team ORECA has met success again. In Sardinia, after a terribly difficult challenge for mechanics, Finnish crew Teemu Suninen and Mikko Markkula, on board of their DS3 R3, won in the WRC3 class. Though they’ve been unlucky at times with the Fiesta R5, French contenders Eric Camili and Benjamin Veillas finished in eighth position in WRC2 after having posted their first fastest time on gravel at an international level. That bodes well for what is to come next.

No mistake were expected in Italy and that is exactly what ORECA’s two crews achieved. For their first participation in the Rally Italia Sardegna, each of the two duos met its objectives: they’ve crossed the finish line without a single error and have garnered a major experience for what is to follow. They’ve also shown how competitive they are within their respective class.

Second win in WRC3 for Teemu Suninen!
At 21 years old, Teemu Suninen has made his third start in WRC3. After being successful in Finland in 2014, the young Finnish driver has clinched his second class win, the first one alongside co-driver Mikko Markkula. After having withdrawn in Portugal, in late May, the duo really wanted to shine. With a second-place finish on Thursday’s special, Teemu relied on wisdom on Friday, reaching the second place with one best time posted. He took the lead on Saturday morning, posting the three best class times, before having do stop due to an electronic problem on the DS3 R3. Back in Rallye 2 on Sunday, the Finnish driver managed to win in WRC3, while the main protagonists encountered serious issues.
“It was my first time in Sardinia and the rally was really tough” confides Teemu. “We’d made the decision to be very careful at the beginning, in order to preserve the car while trying to stay close to the leaders to be able to fight later on. That’s what we did when we attacked more on Saturday, with some good times which allowed us to take the lead. Then we encountered an electronic problem but it didn’t prevent us from winning. I had good sensations at the wheel as well as with Mikko. We’ve met our objectives.”

First WRC2 scratch time on gravel for Eric Camilli…
Despite the disappointment in Portugal, Eric Camilli had already shown part of his potential for the first time with a four-wheel drive on the gravels. With co-driver Benjamin Veillas, Eric once again proved the fast driver he is. After a cautious start, he posted his first scratch time in WRC2 on Saturday, climbing third in class. Unlucky he had to stop as the Fiesta R5’s steering rod did not withstand the hard Italian roads. Though Saturday was about to be a difficult day, having to face dust after the Rally 2 start, Eric and Benjamin did not give up, achieving several Top 5. Affected by an engine power loss on Sunday, the duo continued to resist and rallied the finish line ranked 8th after a convincing performance.
“We weren’t spared with that mechanical breakdown, but the overall outcome is positive” explains Eric. “We’ve gained experience on a difficult ground, and we’ve posted some good times when given the opportunity to do so. We’ve managed our rally, with clean driving on the hardest special stages and attacking when roads allowed it. We were really focused and we’ve posted our first WRC2 scratch time on gravel and crossed the finish line. Mission accomplished. We’re gaining confidence and picking up momentum.”

ORECA’s team will be participating again in WRC2 and WRC3 at the Rally Finland where two crews will try to continue on improving.