The thread of talents

[Entertainer]

Know of any youngsters on the verge of breaking through?
Local drivers with potential that you want others to know about?
Which talents do we believe have what it takes to advance on the international scale?

Post your leads on your local drivers - the ones that deserve more acknowledge, the exceptional ones, the late bloomers etc. Include the driver's plan for 2019 if available.

UPDATED: DRIVER LIST
Some of the young drivers to keep an eye on 2019:
(list sorted by proximity to WRC - WRC2 - ERC - JWRC - JERC - National Championship Classes)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• Kalle Rovanperä,born 2000 (FIN) - 2019: WRC2Pro + ? rounds WRC
• Gus Greensmith, 1996 (ENG) - 2019: WRC2 + min 1 round WRC
• Nikolay Gryazin, 1997 (RUS) - reigning ERCU28-champ - 2019: WRC2 + ERC1J
• Eerik Pietarinen, 1993 (FIN) - reigning Finnish R5-champion - 2019: WRC2
• Emil Bergkvist, 1994 (SWE) - reigning JWRC-champion - 2019: WRC2
• Ken Torn, 1993 (EST) - 2019: JWRC
• Martin Sesks, 1999 (LAT) - reigning ERCU27-champion - 2019: JWRC + ERC1J
• Tom Kristensson, 1991 (SWE) - reigning ERCU27-runner up - 2019: JWRC
• Dennis Rådström, 1995 (SWE) - reigning JWRC-runner up - 2019: JWRC
• Jan Solans, 1997 (SPA) - 2019: JWRC
• Oliver Solberg, 2001 (NOR) - 2019: R5 selected rounds in Latvia + maybe WRC2
• Emil Lindholm, 1996 (FIN) - 2019: R5 in Finnish Championship + Rally Sweden&Finland WRC2
• Henrik Pietarinen, ???? (FIN) - 2019: First R5 season in Finnish Championship
• Julian Wagner, 1995 (AUT) - 2019: AuT R5 championship
• Petr Semerád, 2001 (CZE)
• Erik Cais, 2001 (CZE)
• Mats van den Brand, 1991 (HOL)
• Chris Ingram, 1994 (ENG)
• Steve Rökland, 1992 (NOR)
• Adrian Fourmeaux, 1995 (FRA) - 2018 French Junior Champion - 2019: WRC2
• Jean-Baptiste Francesci, 1996 (FRA)
• Ralfs Sirmacis, 1994 (LAT)

[N.O.T]

you first sunshine...

[Entertainer]

I'll start off with

Tom Kristensson, runner-up in the JERC after Martins Sesks, and gathering sponsorship for full J-WRC-season this year. Strong challenger for the JWRC-goldmedal if he gets funding for full season. Ran 2nd in RC4-cat Rally Deutschland 2018, close to strong JWRC contender Jean-Baptiste Francesci before retirement halfway in to the rally.
Definetely one to check out in 2019!

[N.O.T]

ok now its time for the sad finnish folks to list 100 names of finish nobodies that they will dominate the sport for the next 100 years...

[rp]

ok now its time for the sad finnish folks to list 100 names of finish nobodies that they will dominate the sport for the next 100 years...

Might be more than 100 names!

[Entertainer]

Might be more than 100 names!

Haha
I expect at least ten.

[rp]

Eerik Pietarinen
Henrik Pietarinen
Emil Lindholm
Kristian Kiviniemi
Henri Hokkala
Lauri Joona
Aleksi Röyhkiö
Roni Kauppi
Juho Koski-Lammi
Sami Pajari

Now there is already ten

[AnttiL]

Eerik Pietarinen
Henrik Pietarinen
Emil Lindholm
Kristian Kiviniemi
Henri Hokkala
Lauri Joona
Aleksi Röyhkiö
Roni Kauppi
Juho Koski-Lammi
Sami Pajari

Now there is already ten

That's all? :P

Seriously, Eerik is the one I would name here. He was outright unbeatable in Finland once he stepped in an R5. But his pace on other surfaces than fast gravel or snow are yet to be seen (save for an outing at an Italian event). He has a lot to learn.

Henrik is Eerik's brother and is now stepping up to R5 for this season. I don't know much about him but if Eerik talks little in interviews, Henrik talks even less.

Emil Lindholm is Sebastian Lindholm's son. He seems to be promising, but hasn't been able to match Kalle or Eerik in the races they have done together. Emil is also quite prone to crashes. He also once explained his driving style as "going fast to corners, braking late and throwing the car sideways". Sorry, but that's not the style that wins championships, although it gains you popularity within spectators.

[SubaruNorway]

Emil is also quite prone to crashes. He also once explained his driving style as "going fast to corners, braking late and throwing the car sideways". Sorry, but that's not the style that wins championships, although it gains you popularity within spectators.

Sounds like a correct description and it definitely doesn't work when there's a small jump in the middle of the corner!
https://youtu.be/H8XC-eaWp0g?t=35

[Allez Andruet]

Seriously, Eerik is the one I would name here. He was outright unbeatable in Finland once he stepped in an R5. But his pace on other surfaces than fast gravel or snow are yet to be seen (save for an outing at an Italian event). He has a lot to learn.

Henrik is Eerik's brother and is now stepping up to R5 for this season. I don't know much about him but if Eerik talks little in interviews, Henrik talks even less.

Emil Lindholm is Sebastian Lindholm's son. He seems to be promising, but hasn't been able to match Kalle or Eerik in the races they have done together. Emil is also quite prone to crashes. He also once explained his driving style as "going fast to corners, braking late and throwing the car sideways". Sorry, but that's not the style that wins championships, although it gains you popularity within spectators.

Word, word and word.