Reigning DTM champion, Mattias Ekstrom will try his hand at rallying next weekend and following Armin Schwarz's accident on the Monte, he will be nominated to score manufacturers' points for Skoda. Here he talks about the coming challenge, what will be his fifth time competing on the Swedish Rally, and his sixth entry in the WRC...
Q:
Mattias, how are you looking forward to your World Championship debut in the Skoda Fabia WRC?
Mattias Ekstrom:
I am really looking forward to it because it has been the focus of my attention for so many weeks and months now. I'm feeling quite confident about it after all of our recent tests and there is nothing about the rally that is worrying me right now.
Q:
How many kilometres have you driven in the Fabia WRC?
ME:
I haven't really been counting the exact figure but I think it is around 600kms including about 65kms on the national rally.
Q:
Apart from testing is there any other special preparation you have made for the rally?
ME:
For sure yes! Since the national rally I went to the Skoda Motorsport base at Mlada Boleslav to work with the guys there. They made me change alternator belts and build parts of the suspension – all sorts of things that I might have to do if we have a problem during the rally. They turned me from being a driver into a mechanic!
Q:
How important was taking part in the Dan Anderssons Minne national rally?
ME:
It was very important for my preparation in many ways. It doesn't matter what area of motorsport you are competing in, there is no substitute for actual competitive driving even at a small level because the pressure of actually having to stay within a time schedule makes everything different.
Q:
The Skoda Motorsport World Rally Team has nominated you for Manufacturers' Championship points. Does this add any extra pressure?
