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Hirvonen in Corsica: In Japan, we’ll strive for victory

Corsica 12 October 2008

After two competitions on tarmac, the WRC series will be transferred to gravel roads in the Rally of Japan, to take place at the turn of October and November. Hirvonen, second in the tarmac race of Corsica, is holding second place in the WRC series, 14 points behind Sebastien Loeb, who is leading the rally.

- To win the world championship, we need a miracle. However, it is fully possible to win the two last rallies of the season, and that’s my goal for the end of autumn, Hirvonen says.

In the Rally of Corsica, Hirvonen had hard luck during the first special stage of the last leg. A tyre puncture dropped Hirvonen from second place (which he had held most of the entire leg) to fifth place. He then rose to fourth place and, during the last special stage of the race with the Ford team’s arrangements, to second place.

- The rim of the right tyre was damaged when I was driving over a pothole with sharp edges. The tyre began to rub against shock damper and got broken. I understand the team’s decision to drop François (Duval) and Jari-Matti (Latvala) behind me. We have to compete for the WRC title until the very end, although these kinds of things are not nice, Hirvonen said.

A year ago Hirvonen won the Rally of Japan. The rally still takes place in Hokkaido, but on completely different routes than a year ago. The base of the rally will be Sapporo’s sports stadium (capacity over 40,000 spectators), and the second special stage will be held next to it. The other one is on the outskirts of the town, close to the airport.

- As the route is new to us all, it will create an interesting feeling to the rally. I’m determined to win, of course. Usually I have been good at new races, Hirvonen says.