Tidemand aims for graduation

Pontus Tidemand has turned down another season with Skoda Motorsport in an effort to drive his career forwards to a sustained World Rally Car programme.

The Swede, who has won the WRC2 and Asia Pacific titles with the Czech manufacturer in his four years in a factory Fabia R5, admitted remaining alongside Jan Kopecky and Kalle Rovanpera for 2019 would have been the easy option.

Tidemand ( above) told MN: “I have been here for four years, they offer me one more year, so we had a chance to stay here, but the years are flying now. I’m 28 soon and if I want to become a WRC driver then I need to do something else. We are working on some opportunities to do something in a World Rally Car, [Rally] Sweden would always be a wish and that’s certainly one of the events where I think we could make a result. For my career the time has come for me to move on.”

Ahead of his departure Tidemand praised his team-mate Rovanpera’s speed, saying: “Watch this guy. Honestly, he is something special. We didn’t see anything like him before. He learns so quick and finds speed quickly.”