MH:
It is very complicated. We do need to win a couple more rallies really to make it certain. We also need to know that when we go back onto gravel we are able to compete properly with the Mitsubishis. Unfortunately of all the rallies in the championship the Trackrod [the next event in the BRC] is probably the quickest one - there are a lot of straights and 90 degree junctions. But the package with the Subaru is very good. TEG Sport have worked very hard and I think the balance and handling is probably a better package that what the Mitsubishis have and again we do hopefully, touchwood, have reliability.
Crash.net:
Is Guy Wilks your main threat in terms of the championship?
MH:
Yeah, 100 per cent - Guy and Gwyndaf. David [Higgins – my brother] has got a new car now coming up to the next round as well. It is all to play for.
Crash.net:
Your brother David has stopped using the Toyota S2000 now hasn’t he?
MH:
Yes he has. I believe he has got a Subaru coming for the Trackrod. It will be good to have someone else out there in a Subaru and we will see how it goes.
Crash.net:
There are just two rounds left now in the BRC - the Rally Yorkshire, which you have spoken about and the double points scoring, Rally GB. What is the aim for the Rally Yorkshire - a win?
MH:
We have got to try and win it. We have got to try and win every rally we do. We are using the Mitsubishi ourselves on the Rally GB, which is a bit awkward really for both of our championships. We are obviously doing the Production World Cup [PWRC] and to compete in both categories, we need to actually use the BRC tyres, which is a bit of a disadvantage against the PWRC competitors. With all these championships this year we are actually compromising on all of them unfortunately. We have got Ireland to come with Cork and that is still possible but very unlikely to actually pick up that crown [in the Irish Tarmac Championship] now.
Crash.net
As you say you are doing the BRC this year, as we talked about at the start, but you are also doing the Irish Tarmac Championship and the
FIA Production Car World Rally Championship. For Rally GB will you be able to effectively compete in both categories, namely the BRC and PWRC?
MH:
We are able to go it yes, but we have to use the nominated tyres for the BRC, where as if we were doing it under normal PWRC rules we could actually nominate four or five different tyre compounds. If the conditions are favourable to the BRC tyre we have it won’t be such an issue. However, if it is very, very cold, it doesn’t allow us to use the ideal tyre for the rally and so that is going to be awkward. It is a bit like it has been for the Irish championship. We have had to use a Group N car for three rallies and so it hasn’t made things easy.
Crash.net:
Switching to the PWRC for a moment, Toshi Arai is currently in a commanding position, 24 points in front of you, although you have two rounds in hand over him. Have you given up on the PWRC title this year?
MH:
No we have not given up on it. We have got to see what happens in Japan. If Toshi has a strong result there the championship is pretty much over, even if we won the last three. GB is hopefully going to be quite a strong event for me and so is Rally Ireland. We have got our two strongest events to come at the end of the season but it will be very disappointing if we go to them knowing that we cannot win the championship because it would have been perfect to take a World Rally Car to Ireland. That would have been great fun.
