Crash.net:
How much do you think you have come on this year?
MH:
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. It made things clearer and easier for me this year.
Crash.net:
Ford brought in the 2007 spec Focus from Finland. How much did that help you and the team?
MH:
It is difficult to say. For sure the car was very good and reliable and everything was improved a little bit. But I think the difference just looked a bit bigger in Finland than in 'real life'. Marcus and I just know the roads and the rally so well there and it was easy to push and go to the maximum in absolutely every corner. We still need to improve the car and of course it is very good at the moment and it is difficult to make a big step, but we need something small all of the time.
Crash.net:
Next year it looks like you will be leading the
BP Ford WRT, now that Marcus Gronholm has retired. Are you looking forward to that challenge?
MH:
Definitely, I feel that I have enough experience and I have a good team behind me. I am ready for the challenge.
Crash.net:
Do you have any preferences in terms of who might end up being your team-mate?
MH:
No not really. It doesn’t really matter who it is. If it turns out to be another Finn, for example, Jari-Matti [Latvala] I wouldn't mind. He is another young driver. The last two years working with Marcus it was in some ways easier and funnier having a Finnish team-mate – you would spend a bit more time together and have some fun. It would be nice to have a Finn again, but it doesn’t really make much difference in the end.
Crash.net:
A lot of people are predicting that Jari-Matti will get promoted to the BP Ford team and will take that seat. Do you think he deserves that chance?
MH:
Well he definitely has the speed – there is no doubt about that. He is still very young though and makes mistakes. If he gets the job he will get a bit more testing and just more time in the car. We will see. It is definitely going to be a big challenge for him. But he is very fast and he might have a few good rallies.
Crash.net:
What are your plans now for the off season?
