Volkswagen Motorsport II pilot Andreas Mikkelsen has crashed out of Rally Finland on Friday's opening loopꦗ.

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. Mikkelsꦅen and co-driver Ola Floene both escaped unhaꦰrmed, but were unable to continue. He will not be able to re-start.

M😼ikkelsen 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 extend our advantage if possible. 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 l🐻ong left-hander with a slight crest, which can be taken flat-out i🅠n perfect conditions. However, that did not prove to be enough.

"We ran ou𝄹t 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 r﷽epair it on-site."

for us, now retired. Car will be prepared for and we will be back for Germany! -- Andreas Mikkelse⛦n (@AMikkelsenRally)

Muy duro sin duda🎉 el accidente de Andre🐟as Mikkelsen en la SS5 -- RallyCentrum (@RallyCentrum)