Suninen returned to rallying’s top tier last weekend after receiving a call up from Hyundai to drive the third i20 N Rally1 that has been shared between Dani Sordo and the late Craig Breen this season.
Estonia marked Suninen’s first top-level WRC outing since standing in for Ott Tanak at Hyundai for the 2021 Rally Monza season finale after parting company with M-Sport mid-season during a turbulent campaign.
Despite limited mileage behind the wheel of the WRC’s latest generation hybrid machines, the Finn impressed throughout to finish fifth ahead of M-Sport's Pierre-Louis Loubet, Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta, and the recovering M-Sport Puma of Tanak, who was hit by a five-minute penalty for changing an engine after shakedown.
Reflecting on challenging period of his career, which included a drop down to the WRC2 category last year, Suninen believes an emotional drive in Estonia has proved his talent.
Insight: Five things you may have missed in Estonia
“I think it was a good show that I belong at this level,” Suninen told Autosport.
“I really like to work at this level, so I want to do everything perfectly and at these big factory teams we have enough people to focus on all areas and have everything perfect.
“The team is helping me with the driving, and the amount of data I’m getting is just huge. I like to work in that way.
“It is never easy to jump to a car that Craig was driving. Everyone loved him and how fast he was.
Source: Autosport