Teemu Suninen’s Monte Carlo Rally is already over after his SS1 crash as the rollcage on his Ford Fiesta WRC is bent.
Suninen was setting an impressive pace on the first stage of the 2021 World Rally Championship season, and was 0.5 seconds up on rally leader Ott Tänak at the final split, before crashing out towards the end of the test.
On the wet asphalt, Suninen’s Fiesta drifted off the line and smacked a bank on the left, pitching the car into a roll and down another bank.
Speaking to WRC All Live reporters at the scene of the accident, Suninen was pessimistic about his chances of restarting the rally before it was confirmed later on Friday that he would indeed take no further part in the season opener.
“Up to this point everything was going well, I had a pretty good feeling with the car and then just on this corner I lost the line and touched the bank and went out and broke the rollcage,” said Suninen. “It’s a shame the season starts like this.”
When asked if the car would be OK to continue on Saturday, Suninen replied: “I don’t think so. I checked, it looks like the rollcage is bent.”
