Škoda Fabia R5 Evo driver

Emil Lindholm Emil Lindholm

Škoda Fabia R5 Evo driver

Emil Lindholm Emil Lindholm

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Faulty brakes failed Lindholm in Portugal

04 October 2020

Team GRX's Emil Lindholm and Mikael Korhonen had to retire FIA ERC Fafe Montelongo Rally in Portugal due to a brake failure. The fault, that caused Lindholm to crash off the road on the third special stage, caused such an extensive damages to their Škoda that the Finnish pair couldn’t continue the rally after their retirement.

The third event of the FIA European Rally Championship Series, Fafe Montelongo Rally in Portugal, ended with a retirement and a big disappointment for Emil Lindholm and Mikael Korhonen. On the third special stage of Fafe’s tarmac platform rally, only few hundred meters from the start, Lindholm’s brakes malfunctioned and they crashed off the road.

“It was the second braking point of this third special stage. Our data said that the brake pressure rose only to a few bars when braking when it should have risen to forty bars. We had quite a bit of a speed to that turn and when I felt the car wouldn’t stop I had a little time to turn it so that we hit the stone wall left back corner first”, Lindholm tells.

Lindholm says conditions in northern Portugal would have been conducive to success. The car's adjustments and tyres worked great on the wet and partly dry tarmac roads.

“We were the fastest in the shakedown and our rally started very well. The weather varied and at some points the road was damp and other places pretty dry. The changing and challenging conditions were well suited for a Nordic driver. The tyres worked great with a grip that was changing with the surface. We have a great product that works in our use”, Lindholm summed up.

Lindholm's Škoda’s left back corner was broken so badly in the collision that the Finnish duo weren’t able to continue the rally on Sunday.

“This goes to the series called “unbelievable stuff”. Our misfortune is already upsetting for everyone around us,” Lindholm sighs.

“Before the collision I got little worried for a moment for myself and my co-driver because we had so much speed that I realized I don’t have anything to stop our car. But we are OK and didn’t get injured in the collision”, Lindholm reminds.

Lindholm does not know yet whether the season will continue with one more ERC Rally or not.

“In any case the year has been really challenging for all of us due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A special thank you to all of my partners and sponsors for being on our journey despite a difficult year. Thank you! We will rise from this!”, Lindholm promises.