While Volkswagen’s Sébastien Ogier was powering his way to his fifth win of the WRC season in Finland, WRC manager and rally legend Michèle Mouton met with up and coming local rally star Laura Suvanto to promote road safety to fans at the event headquarters in Jyväskylä.

Eighteen-year-old Suvanto is currently competing in the Finnish Junior Rally Championship and the Suomi Cup with the VAG Motorsport team but took time out to travel to Rally Finland to help Finnish ASN AKK Motorsport with the Safety on the Road Campaign it has organised in association with Liikennenturva, the Nordic Road Safety Council.

“It’s extremely important to pay attention to road safety issues in the media and I hope that the Finnish campaign and Laura will be as visible as possible."
Michèle Mouton

Suvanto, a regular moped user, demonstrated safe riding techniques to rally fans and was later joined by Mouton to inform fans about the federation’s 10 Golden Rules for Road Safety.

“It’s extremely important to pay attention to road safety issues in the media and I hope that the Finnish campaign and Laura will be as visible as possible,” said Mouton.

The rally legend, who is also President of the FIA’s Women in Motorsport Commission, congratulated the young rally driver on her competitive success.

“It’s a pleasure to learn about Laura’s success and advancement and I wish her the best of luck in the future,” Mouton said. “I also asked her to keep in touch since we share a common goal in enhancing the position of women in motor sports.”

Suvanto added that her meeting with the WRC manager has accomplished two goals: giving a higher profile to road safety and promoting female involvement in motor sport.

“I was anxiously waiting for our meeting but everything went well,” she smiled. “It’s an honour to be involved in this campaign. Road safety and enhancing the interest in motor sports among women and girls is close to my heart,” she said.