Skoda man Lukander retires
Skoda driver Toni Gardemeister's long-time co-driver Paavo Lukander is to retire from the World Rally Championship after next weekend's Catalunya Rally
The 43-year-old Finn, who has dovetailed his WRC commitments while running a family business, has directed Gardemeister throughout his career in the top flight.
"I have been thinking about this for a long time," said Lukander. "With 16 rounds next year I won t have time to give sufficient concentration to everything I want in my life so it is right to stop now.
"I need to take care of the people who work for me and I want to be able to spend more time with friends."
Gardemeister paid tribute to his friend and team-mate: "I needed a co-driver like Paavo when I started rallying, because he had more experience of life and the pressures involved.
"Without him I couldn t have got this far; he was a steadying influence when I was young and wild! It will be strange not to have him sitting alongside me next season."
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