While Lukas Andersson and Roberts Vitols took turns to dominate the qualifying heats at the Finnish round of RallyX, it was ultimately Julien Meunier who came out on top in the sport’s debut on the spectacular KymiRing circuit.

After battling engine cut-out issues on the first day of competition, which cost him valuable time right from the start, things finally came together on day two. With sixth and third place in Q1 and Q2 respectively, Meunier held onto third place in the intermediate classification, just behind Vitols and Andersson.

“No, it definitely wasn’t smooth sailing,” Meunier admitted. ‘From the very first free practice sessions, we knew we had the pace, but the car was giving us trouble. We managed to fix it the next day. To be honest, we didn’t think we stood a chance of winning — our first heats (Q1 and Q2) weren’t particularly impressive. Yes, we were third overall, but it didn’t feel great. Then we won Q3, and that’s when we started thinking, ‘Why not?’ We realised we were fast, really fast. We confirmed this in the semi-final and then in the final.”

One thing’s for sure: the two-time French Rallycross Super1600 champion won’t forget his time on the 1.4-kilometre track, which is known for its elevation changes and technical challenges.

“I really liked this track. I think I’m starting to enjoy gravel circuits more and more. This one really suited me. Now the goal is to back it up at Älvsbyn just to see if this kind of layout is a better fit for me. Either way, I had an absolute blast this weekend.”

Currently sitting in third place in the RallyX North overall standings, Meunier knows there won’t be any room to relax as the season progresses.

“It’s certainly going to be close all the way to the end. We can’t afford to lose any points because everyone will be taking advantage of any opportunity they get. Consistency is key, as demonstrated by Roberts Vitols, who has been extremely reliable in qualifying. He’s the benchmark. There may not be many competitors in Supercar Lites this year, but all of them are capable of running at the front. We know that any of the top four or five drivers can win on any given weekend.”