MIKKELSEN READY TO KICK-STAR THISS EASON
Andreas Mikkelsen is ready to turn his “nightmare” season around and chase his first WRC victory with Hyundai at this week’s Rally Italy.
A Rally Sweden podium aside, the Norwegian has endured a troublesome start to his first full year in an i20 WRC. Mikkelsen is, however, confident the work he did to the car during last month’s Rally of Portugal will be enough for him to fight at the front in Sardinia this week.
Mikkelsen looked to have turned a corner in Portugal, posting second fastest on the first day’s Ponte de Lima test only for his charge to be halted by power steering failure two stages later. His rally was finished by a burst oil seal and engine fire at the opening day’s final gravel test. He arrives on the Italian island sixth in the championship and 65 points adrift of his series leading team-mate Thierry Neuville.
“It’s been a bit of a nightmare,” Mikkelsen told MN. “Finally when I feel I can drive the car then I had the problems [in Portugal], it’s a bit frustrating. Of course I was pissed off with Portugal and I would like to have had a result, but I’m also a bit relieved because now I have a car that I like.”
Mikkelsen explained the set-up changes he did with the car ahead of Portugal, which he’s confident will work just as well in Sardinia.
“We worked a lot and made some changes with the set-up in the differentials,” he said. “Before, I struggled to get the front turned in under braking and when I was going to the throttle then I would lose the rear. Now I can get the front turned and the rear is more stable; we went softer with the rear and more open on the front [differential]. I still think there is some small room for improvement, but we’re going in the right direction.
“Me and Anders [Jaeger, co-driver], we have been frustrated. We think that people think we have lost it, but we just didn’t really have the feeling with the car and, at this level, you need to be at one with the car. I have been fighting in every corner so far this year, but this will work in Sardinia.”