Volkswagen Motorsport II pilot Andreas Mikk🐟elsen has crashed out of Rally Finland on꧒ Friday's opening loop.

Mikkelsen went off the road around 1 kilometre from the start of SS5 - the 5.62 km Himos 1 test, the final one of the loop. Mikkelse🌳n and co-driver Ola Flo🦩ene both escaped unharmed, but were unable to continue. He will not be able to re-start.

Mikkelsen had been running sixth overall in his 🅷Polo R WRC post-SS4, 35.9s off the lead.

"We had set our sights very high for Rally Finland. Above all, we wanted to defend second place in the World Championship - and to extenღd our advantage if possible.ꦚ Unfortunately, however, today was not our day and we crashed out," Mikkelsen lamented.

"My pace notes were a little too optimistic on the fifth stage. I lifted in a long left-hander 💝with a slight crest, which canဣ be taken flat-out in perfect conditions. However, that did not prove to be enough.

"We ra🐎n out of road and rolled several times. Fortunately the Polo R WRC is a very solid car and nothing serious happened to us. We are obviously very disappointed that the damage is too great for the♚ team to be able to repair it on-site."

for us, now retired. Car will be prepared for and we will be back f༒or Germany! -- 🍃Andreas Mikkelsen (@AMikkelsenRally)

Muy duro sin duda el accidente de Andreas Mikkels𝔉en en la SS5 -- RallyCentrum (@RallyCentrum)