3.5.2026 - Punctures caused troubles for Mikko Eskelinen in season 2026 edition of Rallye Ciudad de Pozoblanco - Toyota junior drivers collect trophies
13th edition of Rallye Ciudad de Pozoblanco, which was driven in first weekend of May 2026, delivered a great experience for Flying Finns Mikko Eskelinen, age of 53, and his co-driver Arto Kapanen, age of 63, in the cabin of Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. Despite having two punctures and finishing the event in 11th position in overall classifications, the Finns we're satisfied for the superb rally weekend.
The highly demanding rally included eight special stages and 97,54 special stage kilometres. Eskelinen droev the qualifying stage in 8th fastest pace, but he was also given a one minute penalty for a mixup which happened in time control. Therefore Calm Competicao drivers entered the stages as 2nd car and sweeped and cleaned the stages from loose gravel.
Slippery conditions and two punctures caused time loss so that GTM Motorsport drivers finished the event in 11th position in overall classifications.
- Before the event I had hoped for that I could have driven a trouble-free rally and enjoy competing with a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 which was designed and build in my Finnish home city, Jyväskylä. However, as things hardly goes as planned, the competition was more survival than enjoyment. Slippery surface and two punctures cost us lots of valuable time, Eskelinen tells.
- Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 is definitely the best rally car I've ever competed during my 19 year career. Three cylinder engine delivers power and the car is easy to handle. Many thanks for my sponsors and partners and especially specators and fans for supporting us during the event. It was very nice to see that rally culture in Spain is in very high level, Eskelinen continues.
Intense event was won my estonian Toyota Gazoo Racing driver Jaspar Vaher. Finns collect success as co-drivers Pekka Kelander, Jussi Lindberg and Mikael Korhonen collect overall postiions 2 to 4 with their japanise drivers.
Final results 13th Rallye Ciudad de Pozoblanco, Spain, May 2nd 2026: Overall Top-3::
1. Jaspar Vaher (EST) & Jansen Rait (EST), Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, 57:55.600
2. Takumi Matsushita (JAP) & Pekka Kelander (FIN), Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, +1:35.900s
3. Shotaro Goto (JAP) & Jussi Lindberg (FIN), Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, +1:57.900s
--- 11. Mikko Eskelinen (FIN) & Arto Kapanen (FIN), Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, 04:58.400s
31.1.2026 - Mikko Eskelinen suffered a bitter off in Arctic Lapland Rally
Flying Finn Ford Fiesta RS WRC driver Mikko Eskelinen, 53, celebrated his 20th Arctic Lapland Rally in season 2026 edition of this traditional event. In freezing -33c conditions he wasn't able to reach to the speed he had hoped for and then in 7th stage of the rally he made a Small mistake which led into hour-long snow Works to get the car back into the stage. Therefore the result was anything but what Eskelinen and his co-driver Arto Kapanen had hoped for.
- We set off to drive the rally with high hopes, but we still didn't have enough courage to drive at the desired level. In addition, when we suffered a puncture on the fourth special stage and the intercoms failed on the next two, our confidence in driving was conspicuous by its absence, Eskelinen says.
- During the night break, we changed the car settings and the driving felt better until, at the end of the opening special stage of the second day of the competition, in a right-hand bend, first the rear hit a bank and then the front of the car was also sucked in, so that the snow hugged our car on both sides. First, Arto and I worked on snow removal alone until a few spectators arrived and finally, after an hour of struggling, we were able to get back on the track. Still, we reached the maximum time allowed for the special stage and that's how our competition ended, Eskelinen continues.
A big thank you to Dynamo Team for the car's maintenance, to our partners for their support and to the rally spectators for their encouragement, and above all to Mikko Heikkilä, who finished fifth in the overall competition, for his coaching.
Toyota Gazoo Racing's star driver Elfyn Evans won the 61st Tunturi Rally overall competition. The highest series points in the Rally Championship were won by the reigning two-time Finnish champion Esapekka Lappi.
Final results 61th Arctic Lapland Rally, overall top-3:
1. Elfyn Evans & Scott Martin, Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 , 1.45.31
2. Esapekka Lappi & Enni Mälkönen, Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, +3.56,3s
3. Tuukka Kauppinen & Topi Luhtinen, Toyota Yaris Rally2, +4.21,5s
4. Lauri Joona & Antti Linnaketo, Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, +4.28,8s
5. Mikko Heikkilä & Kristian Temonen, Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, +4.32,7s
--- retired. Mikko Eskelinen & Arto Kapanen, Ford Fiesta RS WRC, offroad ss7
