Richard Millener (M-Sport Ford), a positive assessment: "We have to walk before we can run"

Eighth and ninth at the finish with Jon Armstrong (+4:05.5) and Josh McErlean (+6:05.4), M-Sport Ford had to settle for honorable placements in Sweden, while Mārtiņš Sesks finished outside the Top 25. A modest result, far from the fight for the podium, but one that does not fully sum up the weekend according to Richard Millener, who is determined to highlight the reaction and the positive signs seen throughout the special stages.

"Friday was a huge disappointment, and it still is, because ultimately it affected our result.""Rather than dwelling on this setback, the team has chosen to look ahead," he told AUTOhebdo. "We can sit back and think about it and be negative, or we can be positive and push forward, and that's what we've chosen to do." The turning point came the very next morning with Mārtiņš Sesks' special stage victory, despite being first on the road. "It was a fantastic result, and it shows once again why he deserves these opportunities."Millener believes.

But the highlight of this weekend in Sweden, according to him, remains Jon Armstrong's performance against Thierry Neuville on the long Sunday special stage. “Seeing him beat Thierry twice over 25 kilometers is something very special. Honestly, I didn't expect it. [Thierry Neuville] is a world champion.” Already in sight during the Rally Monte Carlo, the driver confirms his rise to prominence. "What he has achieved in these first two races gives us great hope for the rest of the year.", its director emphasizes, while calling for moderation: "We have to walk before we can run. We can't expect everything, all the time."

With twelve rounds still to go, the objective is clear: to progress without rushing things. Our goal right now, I would say, is to choose our events, and certainly to fight with HyundaiThat would be a great achievement for us. We'll see. "What will happen around us, and we will make sure we are in the fight and see what we can achieve."

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The focus now shifts to the Safari Rally Kenya, the next stage of the championship. “Kenya is always a special event. There are many opportunities, but it is also very difficult. We are preparing as best we can to see what we can do.” Note that Mārtiņš Sesks will not be competing in the next round, with the team returning to a more restricted program for the Latvian driver in the upcoming events.

Interview conducted by Pierre Barré in Umeå (Sweden).