Mikko Hirvonen – meeting '09's new challenges
With the season in full swing, it’s back to business for the Castrol-backed Ford World Rally Team. Despite the winter break, there was little respite, as a raft of rule changes meant extra work for everyone from the travel bookers to the engineers.
We caught up with Ford's lead driver Mikko Hirvonen to find out how the team and the car has evolved for the 2009 season.The most striking change to the WRC this year is the 12-race calendar, which contains the fewest events since 1996; when a rotation system meant that there were just nine rallies. New and returning events this year include Australia, Poland, Cyprus, Portugal and Norway, with the traditional first round of Monte Carlo having been bumped, in favour of a first round winter asphalt event in Ireland.
Last included in the WRC calendar in 1973, Poland makes a return to the calendar this year, with the promise of a fast and exciting gravel round echoing the forest stages of Finland. This spells good news for Ford, and especially lead driver Mikko Hirvonen, who recorded his first ever WRC win at his home event in Finland.
"From what I’ve seen on the [preview] DVD it looks a little like Finland – very, very fast with smaller stages," explains Hirvonen. "For sure our car can be very fast over there because it’s like Finland. Also it’s a new rally, which normally suits me quite well, so I’m sure we can be quick. It’s definitely going to be interesting – new country, new area… I’m really looking forward to it."
Round two of the 2009 season saw the teams return to Norway's snow-covered countryside after a one year hiatus, to take on icy forest tracks just outside Lillehammer – the venue for the 1994 Olympic games. With the sub-zero temperatures came a set of distinct challenges.
"You need to be careful and follow the temperatures all the time, and make sure that the engine and everything is running as smoothly as it normally would," explains Castrol-Ford driver Mikko Hirvonen. "We also need to block the front air intake, and the duct by the front wheel which is cooling the radiator to get the right engine temperatures."
Having learnt his trade in Finland, Hirvonen is a veteran of snow racing and was particularly impressed by the new tyres: "The conditions were so fantastic in Norway," explained Hirvonen after the second round of this year's championship. "We had lots of snow and lots of ice - and really good ice on the road.
"The tyres were absolutely fantastic – they worked really well. I’ve never driven on the snow in such good conditions, and with such good grip as that. So that was a really positive surprise from the tyres."
"There are some new parts in development that are coming to the car around the time of the Portugal rally," explains Hirvonen. "It's an update, and will hopefully have loads more power… you always hope for loads more power, but it’s a small change to the engine that will make it more responsive also."
Team Leader
Overall, 2009 promises to be an exciting and unpredictable year for the Castrol-backed squad, having settled into the role of lead driver for the team Mikko Hirvonen is quietly confident of success."There is a bit more pressure now this year, but now we really, really, have to win it. The car is definitely fast enough to fight for the win, so now it’s my turn to beat [reigning champion] Sebastien Loeb, and take the title for Ford."
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