As for Hirvonen's team-mate, Jari-Matti Latvala, who has had a difficult run of late and who has been demoted to the Ford 'B' team for the asphalt events in Spain and Corsica, Mason has been impressed by him too.

"Jari-Matti Latvala has just been unbelievable. He is a very, very fast driver and a lot of these Finns are very fast drivers. He just needs taming a little bit," added Mason. "Everybody is trying to tame him somewhat but basically he only knows one speed.

"He is a great, great star coming up. He is only 21-years-old or something and Hirvonen is now 28. He thinks he is one of the old men in the game!

"But this young Jari-Matti is brilliant. But driving at those sorts of speeds you do crash a lot. That is what use to happen to Colin McRae. Over the years I have seen this happen a great deal, when Ari Vatanen and Hannu Mikkola came up on the scene and had problems, and they all said the same things.

"This one is the latest little fastest flying Finns and it is what you have got to expect. I think you will hear a lot more of him but he needs to try and get more good position finishes."


TO HEAR THE INTERVIEW IN FULL WITH TONY MASON: CLICK HERE