While the CrossCar Junior category saw Iivari Mannisto claim a third consecutive victory, Jere Huuhka arguably produced one of the standout performances of the opening day of competition.

Indeed, after sitting only tenth in the intermediate standings prior to Q3, the local driver managed to completely turn his weekend around to secure his second podium finish of the season with a third-place result behind Iivari Mannisto and Peetu Matalamäki.

A result that leaves the young Finn fourth in the overall standings, now just a single point behind Matalamäki.

“Coming back to the podium after starting from the back of the grid is never easy. I had never managed that kind of comeback before, so it’s obviously a really good feeling.”

“We had already managed to score a podium on the opening day at Tierp. The rain probably helped us a little at that point. The following day was more difficult. I made a small mistake in the Joker Lap and it cost us heavily.”

Now showing greater consistency from one weekend to the next, the young Finnish driver appears to be growing in confidence as the season progresses. A rise in form that could quickly allow him to move even closer to the front-runners in the championship.

Although a dry track seems to suit his driving style slightly better, Huuhka nevertheless believes wet conditions could also present opportunities against his main rivals.

“Honestly, I’m comfortable in both conditions. I probably prefer a dry track a little more, but I think we could have slightly more pace in the rain. Right now, I don’t really have a plan to beat Mannisto yet, but we’ll definitely try to find a way to make it happen.”