Rally | Suvi Jyrkiäinen, 24, advanced to the finals in an international talent competition – “I feel dizzy”

From Hämeenlinna Suvi Jyrkiäinen24, advanced to the final stage of the Women’s World Rally Championship Beyond Rally Women’s Driver Development – talent competition.

Jyrkiäinen was selected for the final of the best three drivers of the talent competition.

A qualifying and test event was organized among 15 female drivers recently in Poland. Originally, more than two hundred eager women had applied for the talent competition organized by the World Championship.

About the ability camp In addition to Jyrkiäinen, a Belgian was selected among the top three drivers Lyssia Baudet and German Claire Schoenborn.

As a reward, these three get to drive the M-Sport team’s Rally3 class Ford Fiesta with full maintenance to the Central European World Rally Championship in October.

“Yes, this feels pretty crazy. But maybe at some point I’ll get used to the idea that I’m really going to compete in the World Rally Championship,” says Jyrkiäinen.

Central Europe Based on the performance of the World Rally Championship, the winner is chosen from the three best in the talent program. The best of the entire talent program will receive quite a jackpot for their career, i.e. a full maintenance driving program for the junior class of the World Championship for the 2025 season.

The Central European World Cup Rally is not an easy place to drive a Rally3 car with four-wheel drive and more than 200 horsepower.

The asphalt roads in Central Europe in October can be treacherous and require the driver to have a very precise driving eye in addition to speed. Last year, the race in question was gassed on the roads of Austria, the Czech Republic and Germany.

“Yes, getting to the finish line is the biggest goal in the Central European World Rally Championship. It’s a difficult rally and besides, it’s my first asphalt rally ever. Of course, I’ve driven track races on asphalt,” Jyrkiäinen reflects.

Jyrkiäinen is excited about his selection in the top three.

“It was a little hard for me to believe that I would make it to the next stage when I left for the camp. But then when the races went well, I thought that there might be a chance to continue here.”

The three-day talent and training camp was organized in the facilities and test locations of the M-Sport stable known from the World Cup level in Krakow.

At the camp, the skills and speed of the chosen ones were observed on various driving platforms. In addition, the reasons included technical knowledge of cars and media skills.

“I think the driving sections went well for me, maybe they patched up my overall performance if there were shortcomings in other areas.”

“The jury said it was difficult to choose the top three. Nothing else was actually said about the choices or started to justify them,” says Jyrkiäinen.

Jyrkiäinen comes from a motor racing family, as his mother Minna Sillankorva63, is a former top rally driver. Sillankorva won the World Series Ladies Cup championship with Lancia in 1991.

Suvi’s father Jari Jyrkiäinen on the other hand, has been in rallies as a second driver for, among others, F1 men To Mika Salo and Jyrki to Järvilehto.

Jyrkiäinen says that a 44-year-old will go to the Central European World Rally Championship as his second driver Antti Linnaketo.

Minna Sillankorva with her daughter Suvi Jyrkiäinen. Picture: Tuomas Arkimies