Eighteen-year-old Mille Johansson made his debut in the World Rally Championship (WRC) this weekend as he competed in the home event, Rally Sweden in Umeå. Following a successful performance from Mille and co-driver Johan Grönvall, they won the Junior WRC with almost a minute’s lead.
Mille and Johan started the weekend strongly by being the fastest in the shakedown. The rally itself had a tougher start as they spun twice on three stages, losing a considerable amount of time. However, from Friday lunch onwards, they were the fastest on almost every stage and won the rally.
”It feels completely unreal. I never thought this would be possible. The whole weekend has been fantastic. We made two mistakes, but managed to make up for the lost time. Everything feels fantastic right now,” says Mille Johansson after the finish line.
Mille, who turns 19 later this year, has been making a determined effort towards the WRC for some time. His participation in the Junior WRC was meant to gain experience for the future and showcase his skills at home. But in the largest Junior WRC field in modern times, with 19 competitors, Mille and Johan impressed and won the class where all juniors drive identical four-wheel-drive Ford Fiesta Rally3 cars.
”It was really tough before the final stage. I was feeling so many emotions. But now we are winners, my heart is just pumping,” says Mille.