Team GRX's Emil Lindholm and Reeta Hämäläinen drove an overpowering fastest time at the Power Stage, which ended the World Rally Championship Sweden, receiving three World Championship points in the WRC2 class.

Emil Lindholm, driving Toksport WRT's Škoda Fabia Rally2, clocked the fastest time in the WRC2 class’ last special stage of WRC Rally Sweden receiving three World Championship points. In the overall classification of the WRC2 class the Finnish driver placed ninth.

On the opening day of the rally on Friday, at the longest special stage Kamsjön (27.81 km) 25.2 km from the start, Lindholm's Škoda's got stuck in the snow for almost an hour. The Finnish driver’s Škoda’s back corner hit a snowbank forcing the front of the car to turn into the snowbank, which caused the car to roll on top of it onto its side.

Lindholm, who lost his chances for World Championship points due to his mishap, returned to the route under the Rally2 rule and drove the fastest times for the final special stages on Saturday and Sunday. Lindholm drove the Sarsjöliden's Power Stage (14.23 km), which finished the rally, 5.2 seconds faster than other drivers.

”It was worth to give it a try in the last special stage. It was a special stage that was perhaps my favorite of all the special stages of the route. The road didn’t have deep grooves and light snow  covering it like the previous special stages of the rally. It was nice to drive and finish the rally with fastest time and three World Championship points”, Lindholm smiles.

Lindholm says Friday’s disappointment faded quickly and the focus on the next two days of the rally began immediately. The Finnish duo decided to take all the necessary experience in from the new rally route around the Umeå region.

”I think Friday’s mistake was so marginal that I didn’t take it personally. There were several similar contacts with snowbanks during the rally. We just had bad luck but of course I realized that after that there was no point to push it anymore. We were just trying to drive smart and at the same time find the pace at which we would make it to the finish line”, Lindholm says.

”Our team's wish was to make it to the Power Stage and then take as many World Championship points as possible that’s what we did”, Lindholm summed up.

The World Rally Championship season will continue in two months, 21-24 of April, on Croatian asphalt roads. Lindholm says that with these prospects, their next World Championship start is in Croatia.