Mikkelsen satisfied with ongoing IRC progress

Twelve months on from his debut in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, Andreas Mikkelsen says his maiden campaign in the series is continuing to go in “the right direction” after he landed drivers’ points for the third time this season on Barum Czech Rally Zlin in late August.

Mikkelsen, 21, made his IRC debut on the Tarmac event in August 2009, and secured fifth overall on his return to the demanding rally last month at the wheel of his M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000.

“We were much closer to the guys at the head of the field than we were in Ypres, which was the last Tarmac rally we did,” said the Norwegian. “We still have some work to do to be even more competitive but it’s definitely going in the right direction. Zlin was a very difficult rally because you never knew how much grip you would have in the difficult conditions. A lot of things happened but I am very pleased to have finished in the points once again.”

Mikkelsen will return to IRC action on round 10 of the series, Rallye Sanremo in Italy from 23-25 September.