IRC Scotland pre-event press conference 2

Q: Juho, how does it feel to be the champion of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge?

Juho Hänninen: Very good, even though the way we’re ending the season is not the most colourful because [Jan] Kopecký isn’t here, which is a bit of a shame. But I would like to thank Škoda UK and Škoda Motorsport for giving me the opportunity to be here. It’s been a good season. I’ve been happy with the tarmac results and I’ve had very few technical problems. It will be difficult to do better next year.

Q: You’ve improved completely throughout the year. Your driving has been measured, you’ve won two rallies and you’ve always been up there on the events you haven’t won. It must be very satisfying to have put a championship together like that.

Juho Hänninen: Yes, I changed my tactics a little bit from the previous year. I had made a lot of mistakes and didn’t score so many points, so this year I decided that it wasn’t necessary to win all the stages. So I got a lot of podium finishes, and then with other guys being unlucky and Guy being absent through injury, that made it a bit easier.

Q: Guy, you’re going to be a big threat on this rally but your main opposition could be sitting right next to you here.

Guy Wilks: Without a doubt. Juho has had a fantastic year and I think he’s being very modest. He did the recce last year but didn’t compete in the rally – even so, he knows the place, even though it’s a bit different. The weather certainly is!

Q: You were the winner last year. Can you do it again?

Guy Wilks: I’d like to win it by setting the fastest time [last year’s winner on the road, Kris Meeke, was excluded from the result for a technical infringement]. Last year we had a lot riding on the result, and this year we have a different approach in that I know the car and the team a lot better. Škoda UK are a lot more settled in and they know what we’re capable of achieving. It’s going to be a very interesting rally and I think that without a doubt the pace at the front is going to be very quick.

Q: How is your back now?

Guy Wilks: It’s fine. It’s no problem at all, which is a relief. I can sit in comfort and everything’s good.

Q: Juho, you’ve seen these stages now twice but you haven’t raced on them competitively yet. Give us your opinion of what they’re like.

Juho Hänninen: Argentina was my favourite gravel rally this year but now I’ve seen these stages I’m not so sure. There are a couple of sections here that are maybe a little more tricky and not so nice, but mainly it’s amazing and I’m very happy to be here. It’s going to be fun.