Hirvonen ready to take on the challenge

Mikko Hirvonen, before Rally from Spain, does not occupy the worst situation. Winner of four consecutive rallies, the Finn now has a five-point lead over Sébastien Loeb, two events from the end of the season. But the Citroën C4s are favorites for the Catalan round of the WRC and Hirvonen is aware of this. “ Everyone knows how strong Loeb is on the asphalt so I will especially fight to grab second place. Eight points would go a long way to maintaining my lead heading into the final event, but won't be that easy. It will be quite a challenge but I believe I have the speed to fight for second place. »

Mikko Hirvonen prepared for the Catalan event by spending a day with Rob Wilson in Great Britain, before training for two days in Spain, close to the roads where the next Rally will take place. The Finn also plans to do another day of testing on Monday. “ My preparation went well, confides the leader of the world championship. I was coached by Rob Wilson to focus on asphalt riding. I hope that this experience will be added to that of previous years. The car was very good and I'm waiting to see if it goes the same way on the Rally roads. In one day, I covered 350 km, more than the distance we will cover during the entire event. »

Even though he is at the top of the WRC standings, Mikko Hirvonen does not see himself letting go of the controls so easily. “ I don't feel under pressure. On the contrary, it?s exciting. I have the chance to win the title but I keep my feet on the ground. » In the event of Sébastien Loeb's victory in Spain, Mikko Hirvonen is in any case sure of one thing: he will keep the lead in the championship by getting on the podium.