Mikko: Third time lucky in 2010?

Release date: 24 November 2009

Mikko Hirvonen celebrates after taking victory at his home rally in Finland

You could be forgiven for thinking that visiting the podium 11 times in a 12 round season and racking up four wins and five second places would be enough to wrap up a championship.

Such was the remarkable consistency of Castrol-backed Mikko Hirvonen’s championship challenge in 2009, that the only time the flying Finn missed out on a top three result was when he was forced to retire due to a mechanical problem in Argentina.

Despite this commanding performance however, Hirvonen’s maiden WRC title still managed to elude him; with rival Sebastien Loeb, arguably the greatest driver the sport has ever seen, snatching it away by a single point at the final rally of the season.

But is Mikko mourning missing out on the title by such a small margin? Struggling to pick himself up in order to take the fight to Loeb and Citroen once more in just over seven weeks’ time? Not likely…

Work to be done
“It’s been really good”, says the BP-Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team driver of his 2009 season. “And in a way it made me feel even more frustrated because I was so consistent, and didn’t make one mistake through the whole season. But I definitely believe I can beat Sebastien!

“For sure there is a lot of work to do for some rallies – like Tarmac rallies. I just want to look forward now to next year, and focus on doing a good job. I really don’t want to lose out on the title again, and think if we work hard anything is possible”.

Known for his supreme car control; Hirvonen kicks up the dust while charging hard in Australia

Hirvonen’s resolution to put an end to Loeb’s title winning streak [2009 was the Frenchman’s sixth] is not unfounded. Mikko’s blistering pace was aptly displayed at his home rally in Finland, where he took victory on the same weekend as his 29th birthday.

Season high
“Winning my home rally in front of my family, friends and all the people in my town was simply fantastic. And the fact I have been second [in the championship] now two times in a row, and came so close this time, makes me even more determined to try even harder next year, and push and apply even more pressure again.”

“You always have to believe no matter how difficult it looks or how impossible, you have to keep pushing all the way through. Ok I do try and stay quite realistic. I know that I need some luck, but I also know that if I really, really push then there is a possibility that we could make it happen. It’s just disappointing that we came so close this time and didn’t quite manage it”.

Even with the intense rivalry between Hirvonen and Loeb, the Finnish ace remains remarkably complimentary of his title rival: “I really respect him as a driver and as a person”, says Hirvonen.

“He is a really fast driver – definitely one of the best that there has ever been - but he’s still really down to earth and relaxed and very easy to get along with. And in a way, with all the pressure, I respect that more than what he has already achieved.

Nevertheless Hirvonen’s focus is firmly on next year with his sights set on the title fight. “I’m looking forward to next year as a whole”, says Hirvonen. “We can’t do much anymore in terms of upgrades to the car, because the FIA have now closed the homologations for all the rally cars. So we can’t homologate any new parts. So we need to work with what we have. But it’s the same for Citroen as well, and we aren’t that far behind, so any small improvement we can make will put us a bit closer.”

With such determination and the experience of three WRC seasons behind him, Hirvonen is surely set to challenge for the championship again in 2010, and hopefully make it a case of ‘third time lucky’ for himself, Jarmo Lehtinen and the Castrol-backed BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team.

Roll on 2010, which kicks off with Rally Norway on 12 February.