Zoom Hirvonen is aiming for the top in 2008

The spearhead of the Ford World Rally Team for the forthcoming season will be Mikko Hirvonen, who must fill the big boots left behind by Marcus Grönholm when he retired from the World Rally Championship at the end of the 2007 campaign.

That is a big enough challenge in itself, but Hirvonen must also face the tough competition represented by Sébastien Loeb as the Frenchman will be very adamant indeed in seeking a fifth World Rally driver's title as well as bringing the constructor's trophy back to Citroën from Ford.

"It won't be an easy task to do, but still I'm confident to challenge Loeb in the forthcoming season," Hirvonen declared.

During last season, the Finn remained in the shadows of Marcus Grönholm, assisting when possible in his team-mate's ambition for another crown. That did not prevent him from stepping onto several podiums and even claiming three victories over the course of the year, proving in the process that he could be a tough competitor as well.

Now, as the Ford team's Number One driver, his goals are firmly set on the driver's championship and not only on gaining steady points for the constructors' title.

"Yeah, we changed roles with Team Manager Malcolm Wilson," Hirvonen joked. "Nowadays Malcolm does what I tell him to do."

"There are lots of responsibilities offered to me. In each rally I have to push for victory," he continued on a more serious note. "However Finland, Japan, Sweden and Wales are the rallies which I have to win if I want to gain my first title."

Hirvonen may now be considered as the most popular active Finnish rally driver. That is quite an honour when taking into consideration those who preceded him, but Hirvonen doesn't want to think about that.

"Oh my God! I'm not that kind of person like for example Marcus Grönholm and Markku Alen," the Ford team driver quickly declared. "They possess a different kind of charisma as I have and therefore I doubt to be like them. However in this business it's very vital that I be myself and not any other."

Of course, Hirvonen would enjoy adding his name to the long list of Finnish World Rally Champions, drivers such as Ari Vatanen, Hannu Mikkola, Timo Salonen, Juha Kankkunen, Tommi Mäkinen and Marcus Grönholm.

Lest we forget: since 1979, the debut year of the World Rally Driver's Championship, 13 of the 29 titles have been won by Finnish countrymen – quite enough to add another layer of motivation to Mikko Hirvonen.

D.B. © CAPSIS International
Source mikkohirvonen.com