Croatia Rally – Yohan Rossel: “It’s a mini Monte-Carlo” 

The time must be starting to get long since Monte-Carlo?

Oh yes, definitely! There is clearly a gap. There was also a break in our testing. The last time we drove, it had been almost two months since I got in the car… and it felt weird!

What do you mean?

I did a little thing on the circuit which was very cool, but it was nothing similar with the rally. There, when I found myself in the C3, it was a little hot at first. I had to get my bearings again.

When you see that Nikolay Gryazin and Pepe Lopez ran in Croatia recently or that Nicolas Ciamin was in Alba this weekend, your lack of kilometers doesn't bother you?

I can't say I'm not worried. It's just that this is the way we've been operating since 2021. So far, it hasn't worked out too badly for us. We should continue after Croatia by participating in a gravel rally before Portugal. I'm not saying that we will come back and that it will be easy to win, but I believe that with the experience I have now I can approach this round with confidence. The team worked well, I have a good feeling with my car, my engineer… However, maybe I wouldn't say the same thing at the end of the first loop (laughing).

What does Croatia’s journey inspire you?

This will be our 4^e participation in this country. I'm starting to get to know the special stages well. There is little new this year, but with the conditions it is impossible to anticipate what we will find. In the world, the meetings on asphalt are not really. There is so much pollution that it is difficult to talk about racing on tarmac. I appreciate the challenge offered by these roads where the road surface can vary quickly. It's a rally that must be respected with a multitude of grip changes. You can't go 100% in Croatia. It's a mini-Monte Carlo.

What will be the objective in Zagreb?

We won in 2022 and 2023, but that does not mean that we will necessarily win this season. This is indeed our goal, but for that I like to start the races by starting from scratch. You'll need a car that's easy to operate because I'm expecting a big fight.

ALSO READ > Craig Breen memorial unveiled by Croatia Rally organizers