WRC » Rally Finland - preview - Pt. 1.

Tuesday, 29th July 2008

Preview for the Rally Finland - the ninth round in the 2008 FIA World Rally Championship, part 1.

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The Spaniard took in the fifth round in the Finnish Rally Championship as a warm-up for the ninth round in the WRC and the 'test' went very well – both for himself and Citroen. Indeed Dani set the pace in virtually all of the eight stages, eventually beating his closest rival and taking the win - his first ever in a World Rally Car - by over one minute.

While he knows the 'Finnish Grand Prix' will be a lot tougher, he is determined to try and get good points and get to the end, something he failed to do in 2007 and 2006 - with engine problems sidelining him 12 months ago and a crash putting him out the year before.

"It was first my win in a WRC car, and on gravel, too, so that was particularly pleasing. I am aware that the competition wasn't all that strong though, and that we will face stiffer opposition on the Rally Finland," he stated.

"I have felt comfortable over these fast stages and long jumps on all my previous visits. I enjoy them, and the work we did in July should enable us be even more competitive against the local specialists.

"I am pleased with the settings we have found for the different types of surface we could well face, and I think we should be competitive with our C4. Our aim is to finish as high up the order as possible with a view to scoring points for Citroen."

BP Ford Abu Dhabi WRT:

[Mikko Hirvonen, car #3 and Jari-Matti Latvala, car #4 and Khalid Al Qassimi, car #18]

Hirvonen targets home win.

Mikko Hirvonen has insisted that he won't let the pressure get to him this weekend as he heads to his home round of the WRC, the Rally Finland, eager to win for the very first time.

The BP Ford Abu Dhabi WRT number one went into the summer break on a high by taking a 'tactical' win on the Rally of Turkey, something that lifted him back into the lead in the battle for the 2008 drivers' title - three points up on Sebastien Loeb.