Two questions for Mikko Hirvonen

How have things gone since you joined Citroën Racing?

“I was immediately struck by the very warm welcome that was extended to me. I have found a team full of people who are passionate about what they do. I have been especially impressed by the rigour of the working methods and the care taken over every detail. Although the team is predominantly French-speaking, there have been no communication problems. I already feel very much at home. And with testing and the technical meetings at the plant, I have already spent a lot of time with various members of the team.”

The team is reputed to have been built around Sébastien Loeb, who is regarded as the no.1. Does that bother you?

“No, I see this opportunity to work with Sébastien as being of great benefit to my career. It’s not about being number one or two. We all start the season with no points on the board and the 2012 regulations will make racing fairer, both for team-mates and rival drivers. To some extent, it’s fairly natural that the team expects more of Sébastien; he has been with them for ten years and has been World Champion for the last eight years running! That takes a little bit of the pressure off me, so I’ll be able to take the time to become totally accustomed to the car, the team and how it operates. In any case, I always try to adopt a positive approach to situations, as that tends to be the best way to make
progress.”