WRC – Hirvonen mixed for the Acropolis

After taking second place in Rally of Argentina leaving the victory to Sébastien Loeb, Mikko Hirvonen is preparing to face the tough stages of the Acropolis Rally where his teammate will only have victory as his objective after the setbacks experienced with Sébastien Ogier last year. After winning in 2009 and reaching the last step of the podium last year, the Finn will be looking for another good performance even if he admits that Greece is not his favorite event of the Championship. The second Citroën driver still has good hopes for this week after setting the pace for the Alsatian in Argentina.

“It’s not my favorite rally, but I don’t hate this exercise”, comments Mikko Hirvonen. “We are involved in a World Championship and as such we must compete in varied events representative of all types of terrain. The Acropolis is one of the great classics of WRC and its status as the most difficult course is not usurped. However, it must be said that we are at full tilt almost all the time! Obviously, you have to manage the mechanics and the tires, but I think that a large part of the result depends on the preparatory tests for this event. During these sessions, you have to ensure that the car is strong enough to withstand the constraints of the terrain. The Citroën DS3 WRC having obtained a double last year, I am not worried about our ability to play for victory. The Rally Argentina allowed me to take a new step. I feel completely comfortable in quick portions. We worked a lot with the team and we made some changes that suit me better. I feel very confident for the rest of the season. »