Teemu Suninen will join a two-car team to drive under the Secto LABS banner at this year’s Secto Rally Finland.
Suninen, who will be co-driven by Janni Hussi, has enjoyed a near-perfect start to his 2026 WRC2 campaign, with victory at last week’s Rally Portugal and second place at Rally Sweden.
The Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 will be joined in the Secto LABS team by a Ford Fiesta Rally3 for Riku Tahko and Markus Soininen.
Suninen told DirtFish: “Secto is a really big name for us, it’s the main sponsor for my home round of the world championship and I will be really proud to carry the Secto name on my overalls and on the car.
“For sure, the target is to win [WRC2], it’s flat out. It’s also really important that we get this rally and we can continue the program for this year. From the results side, we take a second place and the win in Portugal, no zeros and only good results. But from the budget side, it’s tough. We will keep the work going and hope a win in Finland with Secto will help us continue in WRC2.”
Hussi is no stranger to the Secto LABS team, having co-driven Heikki Kovalainen with the squad in 2023.
Hussi and Suninen can't wait to compete with Secto at their home round of the WRC this summer
Talking about her Secto return, she said: “I don’t have words for it and as an ex-radio host, if I lose the words, then it’s big! It is going to be great to have that name on that car. The Secto team… they are so nice people, such talented people, and I feel like they always take everyone’s side, everybody is warmly welcome in their group. It’s very nice to work with them.”
Founder of Secto Automotive, Matias Henkola, is excited about the summer ahead.
“What we’re doing this year is demonstrating that you don’t need to be OEM-backed, you don’t need to be the big factory outfit to have a really spectacular presence in the service park. We are really proud of how Secto LABS team will look in Paviljonki in Jyväskylä in July,” he said.
“We took over the sponsorship of this great event in 2021 and we’ve constantly evolved how we can help shape the future – taking to the stages with a two-car team is the next step in that process.”
Secto LABS’ presence at Secto Rally Finland (July 30-August 2) is about more than just the competition, however. The objective is to combine two WRC entries with the development of sustainable mobility solutions. In connection with the rally, Secto will also announce a co-operation project with an international lubricants company aimed at significantly reducing the use of fossil-based lubricants in road traffic.
Secto will have a setup like a factory OEM team in the Finland service park
To that end, Tahko’s entry will focus on development work: testing new solutions in real special-stage conditions while also helping demonstrate how motorsport can promote sustainable mobility.
Secto LABS is the development division of automotive services company Secto Automotive – a firm dedicated to advancing sustainable mobility through practical research and engaging communication.
Secto Automotive CEO Markus Vuolle said: “It is exciting to test new technical solutions in the laboratory of gravel roads. We believe the team will provide valuable experiences that will benefit our customers and all everyday motorists.
“Secto Automotive’s mission is to save driving by making it sustainable, and it is no exaggeration to say that we want to do the same for motorsport. Sustainability work is also essential if rallying is to broaden its audience and reach new target groups beyond traditional motorsport fans.”
Secto Rally Finland’s sustainable credentials were further enhanced earlier this year, when the event won the Most Sustainable Sport Event category at the prestigious UN Tourism and FIA Awards for Excellence in Sustainable Sports Tourism.
The event’s Spark the Future forum (July 31), now in its fourth year, has helped drive discussion about the sport and the industry’s future, with Richard Hammond participating in the debate last year.
