WRC: Suninen gets Toyota test role

Toyota has added Finish rising star Teemu Suninen to its junior driver program and the test roster for its new World Rally Championship contender. The 21-year-old has only contested one round of the WRC - Rally Finland last year, where he won the WRC3 category (pictured below) on his debut in a Citroen DS 3 R3T prize drive.

Suninen joins 27-year-old Frenchman Eric Camilli as a Toyota junior driver. The pair will work alongside Toyota test drivers Stephane Sarrazin and Sebastian Lindholm on the Yaris WRC development programme ahead of its 2017 debut, and on other cars in the Japanese firm's rally stable.

"Toyota has such a strong reputation and history in rallying; it's a great honor to be selected by TMG to be a part of their return," said Suninen. "I can't wait to get started; I will give my maximum to repay the faith shown in me.

"My target is to learn as much as possible, because I am still early in my rally career. I want to grow with the team and I'm looking forward to working alongside Stephane, Sebastian and Eric. There is a positive and professional atmosphere within the team which is very motivating."

Suninen was one of seven young drivers tested by Toyota Motorsport in Italy toward the end of last year. His career has taken off in the last month with the backing of Finnish driver manager Timo Jouhki – who steered the careers of Suninen's countrymen Juha Kankkunen, Tommi Makinen, Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala.

Originally on Autosport.com