Valimaki: Missing Rally Finland '05 cost me.

Reigning Asia Pacific Rally champion, Jussi Valimaki reckons that he could have done much better on the Neste Oil Rally Finland over the weekend, if he hadn't skipped last year's edition.

Valimaki eventually brought his privately entered Mitsubishi Lancer WRC home in seventh, another solid result for the Finn following his ninth place finish on the Acropolis and a fifth in Sardinia. Three Lancer WRC were entered for the Rally Finland, however his 'team-mates' Daniel Carlsson and Juho Hanninen failed to make it to the end, the former going off the road on the penultimate stage on Friday, while Hanninen was excluded for not wearing the right fireproof underwear.

"On Sunday, we kind of had orders from the team to bring at least one Mitsubishi WRCar to the finish," explained Valimaki. "We were not here last year and in this kind of rally you can't afford to be away because you're not prepared well enough. It really showed in my performance."

Valimaki eventually finished up nearly 7 minutes off event winner, Marcus Gronholm and a minute or so off Janne Tuohino, who took sixth in his PH-Sport-run Citroen Xsara WRC.

"Even though we rallied wonderfully and had no technical difficulties, I'm not satisfied with my performance," he added on his personal website, www.jussivalimaki.com. "I would have expected more speed from myself. But it is very hard especially as I skipped the 2005 edition. I should have done the recce last year. All six drivers, which were ahead of us, have more experience competing in a WRC car and on the speedy stages in Finland. Those drivers who competed here last year were able to utilize that knowledge."

Valimaki meanwhile, who was happy with the Lancer WRC 2005, added that he will now take time out to consider where he goes from here, as this was his third and currently final scheduled outing in the WRC this year.

"I had no technical problems and our tyres were excellent. The problem was between steering wheel and bench - I must gain more speed. Now it is time to take a breath and re-think the continuance of my rally career, because the result I gained here does not satisfy me at all," he concluded.