"Let's hope that will be the case again in Greece where we will be aiming for first place."
Citroen Sport's technical manager Xavier Mestelan-Pinon meanwhile is more than aware that the team has only ever won in Greece once. He also knows the event is extremely gruelling.
Like Seb however, he reckons they should be able to challenge for 'gold' and he would dearly love to see the C4 WRC came out top.
"The Acropolis Rally hasn't been particularly kind to us over the years," he continued. "Not only is its terrain very demanding but it is also extremely humbling. Several cumulative parameters need to be taken into account, from the hard-packed surface to the high speeds, heat and dust, etc. It's a cocktail that really puts the suspension and tyres to the test.
"We prepared for this year's Acropolis in Greece near Livadia in April and, as is always the case, our C4s will benefit from our latest developments. We hope to be able to challenge for victory."
BP Ford Abu Dhabi WRT:
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Mikko Hirvonen, car #3 and
Jari-Matti Latvala, car #4 and
Khalid Al Qassimi, car #14]
Hirvonen expects Greece to be tough.
Mikko Hirvonen believes that it is going to be 'very difficult' for him on the Acropolis Rally of Greece this Friday when he will again have to run first in the order.
Hirvonen, who gets that 'privilege' as he is currently top in the drivers' championship, was disappointed with his pace on the first leg in Sardinia and finished day one almost a minute off the lead.
Despite eventually taking the runners-up spot there, he conceded at the end that he will need to do better on the seventh round in the World Rally Championship and he will be hoping to try and minimise the time lost from having to sweep away the loose gravel.
"I need to improve my first day times a lot when I am first on the road, and I am working on that," he noted. "Hopefully I can learn to drive the first day like Seb [Loeb] and Marcus [Gronholm] did last year, but Greece will be very difficult."
