After spending the 2025 season completing his military service in Finland, Riku Huuhka has decided to return to full-time competition on the RallyX championship scene.

Following a strong 2023 campaign that saw him finish fourth overall in the CrossCar category, highlighted by one victory and two podium finishes, the young Finn had to settle for seventh place in 2024 after a season that proved more turbulent than expected.

Forced into a partial break last year, Huuhka nevertheless left a strong impression during his appearances at Nysum and Estering. Despite a clear lack of race rhythm, he managed to secure a podium finish and qualify twice for the final.

Now fully available, the three-time Finnish champion is determined to reignite his momentum by committing to both the RallyX North and RallyX South championships, with the clear ambition of returning to the sharp end of the field. A decision that makes perfect sense in his own eyes.

“I simply chose to come back to RallyX because the desire to drive and continue racing in CrossCar is as strong as ever,” Riku explains.

“It’s an incredibly enjoyable discipline. Every start brings an intense rush of adrenaline and immediately awakens your competitive instincts. Race weekends are both exciting and stressful, but that’s also what makes them so special. You also have to highlight the fantastic atmosphere within our team, which is very close-knit and full of humour, as well as the quality of the relationships with our rivals. It’s always a pleasure to spend time together in the paddock.”

Rather than distancing him mentally from motorsport, his time away from the paddock only served to strengthen his motivation. The Finnish driver explains how this enforced break contributed to his personal development.

“I kept following all the races whenever I had the chance. In the end, this year away only increased my desire to come back, to keep improving and to become a more complete driver. It allowed me to step back and realise just how much I missed competition.”

Managing military service was not without its challenges, particularly on a physical level. Between logistical constraints and accumulated fatigue, Huuhka often had to deal with preparation that fell well short of his usual standards.

“The army allowed me to benefit from specific leave arrangements for athletes, and even though my service was as long as possible, I was still able to take part in some competitions. However, preparation wasn’t always optimal. There were times when I arrived at race weekends with a significant sleep deficit or accumulated physical fatigue, which obviously made things more difficult.”

Despite these demanding circumstances, his performances at the end of the season in Denmark and Germany confirmed his ability to remain competitive. A conclusion Huuhka analyses with clear-headed realism.

“Having been able to contest a few rounds of the Finnish championship definitely helped my comeback. That said, this season was still the one in which I drove the least since my CrossCar debut. Given the context, the overall assessment is extremely positive. The pace came back quicker than expected, and I was able to fight with my competitors.”

As the highly competitive 2026 season approaches, Huuhka is keen to avoid getting ahead of himself. In a category that continues to evolve rapidly, he prefers a measured approach.

“CrossCar remains an extremely competitive category, where many drivers can realistically fight for victory and the gaps are very small. My approach is simple: focus on my own performance and give my best at every race. Reaching the final at each event would already be a great achievement, because nothing is ever guaranteed in this championship.”

“The main objective is to deliver clean, consistent races while continuing to improve at every round and every start. A podium would obviously be fantastic, but in CrossCar, a small mistake or an incident is enough for your weekend to end in the semi-finals. Another key goal is to keep enjoying myself and make the most of every race weekend.”

One thing is certain: when Riku Huuhka returns to competition next April, he will do so as one of the natural favourites for the RallyX title.