Hirvonen happy, Loeb is content

« It went well from start to finish. That's it, I finally have it, this first victory in Finland. » At home, Mikko Hirvonen did not try to hide his joy at winning his rally national. Leader of the event since SS2, winner of ten of the first sixteen special stages of the weekend, the Ford driver was unbeatable. A point of view shared by Sébastien Loeb, second, at the end of the Rally Finland. “ Mikko was very strong. He was always on the edge. It was hard to keep up with the times. » However, the Citroën driver is trying to make a positive contribution to the eight points acquired in Scandinavia. “ It?s not a victory but it?s better than nothing. In the next races, we will have to seize our chance. In Australia and Great Britain it will be 50-50, and in Catalonia we should have an advantage. »

Sébastien Loeb's co-driver, Daniel Elena, recognizes that this second place is no small consolation. “ It's been three races since we last tasted the podium. We are therefore happy to finish the rally and especially in second place. »

For his part, the Citroën Junior Team driver, Sébastien Ogier, seven weeks after his second place in Greece, takes the three points for sixth position. Unfortunately, he failed three tenths behind Matti Rantanen's fifth place. “ It's a little disappointment, confirms the French pilot. But we are very happy with our second part of the rally. We were able to fight with the best. I am now looking forward to being in Australia. » But the pilots of the WRC will have to wait a little over four weeks before competing in the tenth round of the championship.