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Hirvonen in Catalonia: I will be faster in Corsica

Catalonia 5 October 2008

In the Rally of Catalonia, Hirvonen spent a long time trying to find a good driving rhythm and adjustments for tarmac roads. He found them during the latter part of the rally. This helped him believe that in the Rally of Corsica coming this Friday, he’ll be able to give a better match against the drivers of the Citroen team.

- For us, the Rally of Catalonia was already spoiled on Friday. I didn’t contain myself and drive peacefully enough, as I should have using these tyres designed for tarmac which all of us were using. I was always driving too fast, says Hirvonen who took third place in the Rally of Catalonia.

- We were working to find better adjustments for the chassis and transmission. On the second day, we finally got them right, as we changed the rear differential and reverted to softer damper adjustments. In Corsica, the tarmac is coarser than in Catalonia, so the tyres have a better grip and it’s easier to drive, Hirvonen ponders.

In the Rally of Catalonia, Hirvonen drove the four fastest stage times. Most of the time he held onto fourth place, and with the help of his teammate Francois Duval, he advanced to third place by the end of the competition. Sebastien Loeb, who won the race, is leading the WRC series with 12 points ahead of Hirvonen.

- In Corsica, I must try to drive slow enough and with a rounder line so that the car will not be pushing, and the times will come easily, Hirvonen says.

- As for the WRC battle, Loeb is much too far ahead. However, I’ll keep fighting as long as I can.