Mikkelsen: Potential in 2015-spec Polo R WRC amazing
Volkswagen Motorsport II pilot Andreas Mikkelsen has described the new 2015-spec Polo R WRC as "incredible" after finishing third with it on Rally de Portugal.
Mikkelsen had to make do with the old Polo for the first four rounds of the 2015 World Rally Championship, but this weekend he got the latest model - the same as enjoyed by team-mates, Sebastien Ogier and Jari-Matti Latvala - and he put it to good use to secure his fourth third place finish of the season.
He also led early on, and while he struggled on the repeat loop on Friday and lost out to team-mate, Sebastien Ogier on Saturday afternoon, he re-gained a podium position on the final day after overhauling Citroen's Kris Meeke.
"I am really happy and delighted with my own performance. However, I am even more pleased with the new Polo R WRC, which I drove for the first time here," Mikkelsen said. "What an incredible car Volkswagen has built! It behaved exactly as I would want it to under every circumstance and is just great to drive.
"We were constantly operating within ourselves this weekend, so as to avoid any major mistakes, and were ultimately right with our tyre selection. Third place and a point from the Power Stage is a great result."
Speaking later, he added: "It was an interesting rally for me. It was my first time with the new car, we had a great test and shakedown. We won the first stage and then we were in the lead, in the beginning it was really good and then on the second loop it was much rougher and we were too low with the car. I really enjoyed driving the car, but second time through I struggled a little bit. I need to learn the set-up changes, but the potential in the car is amazing.
"Third place is more than I expected. Portugal has never been my strongest, but it's a great result for us and a great job this weekend."
Mikkelsen is now looking forward to the rest of the season and is confident he can challenge for his first WRC win on most of the eight remaining events.
"I think I am going to pretty much every event now [thinking that I can win]," he confirmed. "I am building my experience and I believe we have a shot for a podium in all rallies.
"I have my special rallies I like more than the others. Sardinia will be much worse, running at the front of the field will be tougher than here - I look for a top five there. Poland, though, we were very competitive last year and I really like that one..."
