Wales Rally GB: Three questions for Mikko Hirvonen

You have already won this event. So, is this somewhere you feel particularly at ease?

“Yes, I like this rally even though it is difficult. The top speeds are extremely high, which is exhilarating for the drivers. All the stages are great, I don’t think I could even single one out. In the conditions that you usually get here towards the end of the year, the road surface is so muddy and slippery that you can go off on almost any bend. It probably won’t be the same at this time of year. If it stays dry, I think it’ll be a little bit easier… but it’ll also be even quicker. Although there are hard tyres available for us to use if the weather is sunny, we’ll need to manage their wear.”

Your win here in 2007 enabled your then team to win the Manufacturers’ World Championship title. Would you like to experience that again?

“It is undoubtedly one of the highlights of my career. Since then, I have raced against Sébastien at this rally for the Drivers’ title, but I haven’t managed to beat him yet! I would really love it if we can secure the World title for Citroën in Great Britain. It would be a real team effort and it would take some of the pressure off me for the final few rallies…”

With seven podium finishes out of ten rallies, perhaps you are not far away from your first win?

“To win, I’ll need to have an absolutely flawless rally! If we secure the Manufacturers’ title for Citroën in Great Britain, I will no longer need to think about points. That will allow me to relax a bit more, especially on tarmac. We saw in Germany that I really need to make progress on this surface. To do that, I need to take a few more risks so I can drive closer to the limit.”