Teemu Suninen says a driver line-up of straight-talking Finns can help push the development of M-Sport’s Ford Fiesta WRC further and faster in the 2020 season.
Suninen was joined at the British team by countryman Esapekka Lappi for the start of this year’s campaign.
While the pair endured mixed fortunes on the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally last month, Suninen is confident of a strong Finnish alliance this year.
“The language thing makes everything a little bit more straightforward,” Suninen told DirtFish.
“We speak exactly what we are thinking – we don’t need to think if what we say is hurting the feelings or something like that. The Finns speak straightforward and sometimes this can help a little bit in the team.
“But it’s good that we have [Lappi] coming with experience from different cars.
“Already before Monte we were talking about the Citroën and why it was strong and not so strong in some rallies.
“All these cars are fast, but they are fast in different areas and they are working better in different conditions. We need to make the maximum out of the car and Esapekka will help with that.
“We have the pace, we just need to get the best from the car.”
Elfyn Evans had worked with M-Sport since 2013 and the Welshman’s departure for Toyota offers Suninen and Lappi the chance to take the car in their own direction.
“Of course, Elfyn had such good experience of the car and the team,” said Suninen.
“But on the other hand, sometimes it could be difficult to push the car in new directions. Sometimes the new direction didn’t feel good.
“In Sweden last year we saw I made a big step with the car, it was working well and I was leading the rally. We can work together on this.”
Asked if he was aiming at winning rallies in 2020, Suninen replied: “I need to lead a rally for two days. Last year I led for one, now if I can do it for two, then I try for three and if I am leading the rally at the end of the third day then I have won!”
Suninen’s Monte result was spoiled by a previously unseen hydraulic-related transmission issue. He recovered from a Thursday night retirement to finish eighth, four places down on Lappi.
