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Mikkelsen expects tough IRC Yalta debut

"Every corner on this rally is different"

By Franck Drui

2 June 2011 - 09:18

Škoda UK Motorsport driver Andreas Mikkelsen is expecting a tough test when the Intercontinental Rally Challenge resumes with the Prime Yalta Rally this week after he sampled the stages for the first time during the two-day reconnaissance.

Mikkelsen reckons that because of the complex nature of the Crimea region’s roads and the constantly changing surface conditions, the Norwegian and co-driver Ola Fløene will have to compromise on their normal detailed pacenote system, simply because it would be impossible to read out all the information that they normally put into the highly-developed system.

“It’s going to be the most difficult rally so far this year,” said the 21-year-old. “The roads here are bumpy, fast, twisty and really slippery – if it rains, it’s going to be bad for all the cars out there.

“It was dry yesterday on the recce and because it had been raining heavily last night, this morning the roads were like ice. Every afternoon for a week now it has been hot and sunny during the day and then in the afternoon the rain comes. It’s not going to be easy.

“Every corner on this rally is different. You can’t get everything into your pacenotes – if you want everything descriptive in your notes, it’s going to be like a whole Bible to read. We have to choose – either we have corner speed or what the surface is like – so it’s really difficult making your notes.

“We’ve seen so far this year that the more difficult it is the better for us – but even so, I’m hoping it stays dry.”