by Rob Wilkins


Mikko Hirvonen believes that he will be able to get the better of Sebastien Loeb next year and stop the Frenchman taking his fifth drivers' title in succession, providing he has a 'perfect' season.

Mikko looks set to lead the BP Ford World Rally Team in 2008, following Marcus Gronholm's decision to retire and while he knows it is not going to be easy, he reckons he is ready now to become M-Sport's 'number one'.

"I feel that I have enough experience and I have a good team behind me. I am ready for the challenge," he told Crash.net Radio. "I will definitely go for it - but I think in the last four seasons everybody has seen how difficult it is to beat Sebastien.

"I am looking forward to it however and if I have a perfect season I think I have a chance. Of course though, it needs to be absolutely spot-on - every rally. It is going to be a difficult challenge but I will try."

Mikko ended the 2007 season recently on a high by winning the final event, the Wales Rally GB - his third victory of the year. That result took his tally to 99 points, something that left him comfortably P3 in the standings - 17 points off Loeb and 13 behind Gronholm.

So was he happy with the year?

"Yes I am and the result in the end was very good. At the start of the year I was hoping I could stay quite close to Marcus and Sebastien in the drivers' championship and maybe challenge them on some rallies, which I did," he explained.

"After Finland I was only five points behind Sebastien but then on the tarmac rallies he got a lot of points and pulled out a gap. But overall I am really pleased with how the season went. In the future I need to take a step further and further - then and be even higher next year."

Asked how much he came on this season, the 27-year-old added that he feels he has moved up a level: "I think I made a step in a few rallies and I managed to get into the fight on a few of the faster events and when I got there I felt pretty strong and confident. I know now if I get the right feeling I can really do well," he concluded.

So do you think Mikko has what it takes to beat Loeb?
Should Seb be worried?

Post your views in our comments section now and have your say...


TO HEAR THE INTERVIEW IN FULL WITH MIKKO HIRVONEN: CLICK HERE