Mãrtiņš Sesks and Teemu Suninen both tested for Lancia during a development test in Finland this week.
M-Sport’s part-time Rally1 driver Sesks is understood to have driven the Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale on Monday, with Suninen – current leader of the European Rally Championship and title contender in WRC2 – driving on Tuesday.
Sesks is widely recognized as a fast rally specialist and brought experience of competing in Škoda’s Fabia RS as well as the Toyota GR Yaris and Ford Fiesta Rally2 machines.
Suninen meanwhile is driving a Fabia in the ERC and a GR Yaris in the WRC this year, and has previous experience of the Fiesta, Hyundai i20 N and the Volkswagen Polo R.
In a statement issued to DirtFish, Stellantis confirmed that Sesks and Suninen joined Lancia Corse HF drivers Yohan Rossel and Nikolay Gryazin in Finland.
Lancia chose to utilize Sesks and Suninen's experience to improve its Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale
“We ran Mārtiņš Sesks and Teemu Suninen because they bring valuable experience on surfaces they know particularly well,” a Lancia spokesperson said.
“To optimize the car’s settings, it is essential to multiply approaches and rely on varied feedback. Of course, Yohan Rossel and Nikolay Gryazin also took part in these test sessions to contribute to the development of the car.”
Sesks and Suninen will both compete in the upcoming Rally Estonia and Rally Finland, with Sesks steering a Ford Puma Rally1 and Suninen competing against Lancia in WRC2.
No Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrales will compete in Estonia next week but Rossel, Gryazin, Yohan’s brother Léo Rossel and Conner Martell will all drive them in Finland.
