WRC Wales Rally GB 2012

2012 FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP - WALES RALLY GB

Pre-event Press Conference - Thursday 13 September

Present:
Matthew Wilson, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team
Petter Solberg, Ford World Rally Team
Mads Ostberg, Adapta World Rally Team
Yves Matton, Citroën Total World Rally Team

Q:
Matthew, fantastic to see you back. How are you feeling about being back in Cardiff, back in the WRC?
MW:
I’m excited, it’s been a long time and it’s been frustrating at times but we’re back, we’re here, and we’ll just have to give it our best shot and I think all I have to do is try and enjoy driving it. I’m generally just enjoying the driving, it’s good fun and the times will be there.

Q:
You say frustrating times, you’ve been at events when the drivers have been competing, that must be really difficult for you?
MW:
It wasn’t so bad when I was in Portugal at the time still with injuries and I knew I couldn’t drive, but once I was back to full fitness and ready to go, being at the event and not being able to drive was difficult.

Q:
It’s new sponsorship from your homeland in Cumbria which has enabled you to come back, and we’ve seen on the back of the car ‘Proud to be Cumbrian’, tell us about that.
MW:
I think it’s a really good achievement to have what we’ve done, both me and Scott are from Cumbria, the car is built in Cumbria and all the backing for this rally is from Cumbria, so we’re proud that we’ve managed to pull it together and be at the event and are here to do it properly.

Q:
In terms of getting back into the car and getting a feel for the car again, were you a little rusty when you started testing or were you okay?
MW:
You could say that! We did two days, a day up in Cumbria where we had full dry, nice conditions that you always expect in Cumbria, and then we did down here on Monday and it was basically like Rally GB in November, so I think we’ve got a good feeling for both conditions. The first hour or so of testing on Tuesday gave me a chance to get the feeling again, just to get used to the speed again. But once I got back it was fine and hopefully with Monday as well, and Sweet Lamb which I did know very well, we’ve made proper pace notes again and it all seemed to work out well.

Q:
So what’s going to be the strategy from you this weekend?
MW:
I think there’s no real pressure. At the moment this is our only event for the rest of the year and I think we have to just go and enjoy it and do the best that we can. Just enjoy the driving and enjoy these fantastic stages. We’ll see what the result is at the end but I’m not looking for a position or have a certain goal, I just want to enjoy the driving and go from there.

Q:
Matthew, is this one event only, a guest starring role? We will see you on other rallies in the WRC this year?
MW:
At the minute this is the only planned event. We are obviously working very hard towards next year, trying to get something sorted for that. Also one event I would really like to try and do at the end of it is Spain, but again, it comes down to budget and getting the money together. That’s one thing that is a little more realistic but we are working quite hard for next year to try and get something together to get back to race maybe a handful of rallies next year.

Q:
Petter, you and Wales, we talked about this before, the history, it’s always a special event for you, are you feeling that special feeling this weekend? Could it result in the win for you?
PS:
Yes it’s brought good memories for many years and I feel very confident. I’ve only been in the car for a few months and I did a very good test last week and the feeling is that Sebastien has trouble here! So I think the small detail now, me and Jari-Matti [Latvala] together, we can win again.

Q:
Did you find something when you were testing, or did you change something that’s making you feel so good?
PS:
The car has been working very well the whole year but, compared to Loeb who has been sitting in his car for twelve years, it’s not the same feeling I have after a few months, and it seems he always manages to find something which we didn’t. But now it seems like we are much more together.

Q:
Let’s talk about the event now, because it is September, autumn time in Wales, maybe a little bit dryer than we see in December. What did you think of the condition of the stages on the recce?
PS:
I thought this would be much harder because we did the rally before where there has been a lot of rain and the stages have been quite soft, especially Myherin, but it’s fantastic roads here, really nice, but I think the tyre situation is hard because it can be quite special but we will see, Loeb is choosing first!

Q:
But you’ll be choosing second, what is the plan for road position from you?
PS:
I think it should be quite simple, but you never know as we have seen some strange things over the years! You should never say never.

Q:
You talked about wanting to get the win, we know the team are desperate for you or Jari-Matti to be on the top step of the podium. What’s the feeling over at Ford? Is their pressure on your shoulders to go out there and try to achieve the win or is it quite calm?
PS:
There is always pressure, you have to have that pressure. If you don’t have that feeling to win there is no point in the drive. I think everyone is feeling the pressure, the whole team. We have to improve. Hopefully now for this rally we have done it, I’m not saying we are desperate but we really really want it.

Q:
We have seen a little bit of that Petter spark come back. You said you are feeling confident, should the guys out there be worried?
PS:
I feel great and you know it’s all the small details all the time to just find that click between me and the car. It seems like I have just found that click and that feeling is incredible.

Q:
Yves, Sebastian Loeb will be choosing what the team believes will be the best position on the road for tomorrow. What are you thinking? Can you reveal the plans?
YM:
For sure, we have a clear opinion on what we will do tonight but the day is long. We can change our opinion before tonight and like Petter said, we’ve got some abnormal conditions and we’re not telling more.

Q:
Let’s talk about the event for Citroën; it could be a very special event as you could clinch the Manufacturers title here in Wales. What does the team need to do to be able to take the Manufacturers’ Championship?
YM:
We need to take a minimum of six points and then we can be Champions three rallies before the end. I hope it can be like that as that means that all the team are doing a really good job this year.

Q:
Does that put a little extra pressure on the team this weekend? Knowing that could be the outcome? Or is it just the same? You go into the event feeling the same?
YM:
I would say maybe less because we have three rallies to go and we are fighting for the title now. Then we can also try to do a one and two this weekend.

Q:
Talk to me about the season in general. We’ve seen Mikko Hirvonen come into the Citroen team this year. What has he bought to the team and what have you thought of his performance?
YM:
Since the first rally he’s doing very well and doing step by step to be on the level he’s is on now, especially on the gravel. On tarmac he has to learn a little bit more of the car. It’s the same learning time that he needed at the beginning of the season on gravel as he was riding for a long time in another car and you need to learn the car as Petter said, to learn all the details of the car. I think now on gravel it’s okay and he still has to work a little bit on tarmac.

Q:
Yves, we’ve talked about Mikko Hirvonen. I don’t think we have to talk too much about Sebastien Loeb’s performance; year on year it’s the same, it’s incredible, but what about Sebastien Loeb’s future with Citroen? When will we hear news on that?
YM:
The thing is that he will be with Citroen in the future, but we are not telling details today. First of all we are not completely finished, it’s not easy, it’s a long time, it’s not only 2013 but also what he will do with Citroen in the future. We are working on this. When we are ready we will tell.

Q:
Would you like to keep him within the rally team though? If he is staying with Citroen?
YM:
Yes I think in my position I can only be glad to have Sebastien Loeb in the team.

Q:
When will we know, when will you reveal the details of what is happening with him in his future?
YM:
Not this weekend, that’s for sure. So you know. I hope before the end of the month.

Q:
You were on the podium here last year and I’m sure you will be trying to get the same result if not better here Mads. What’s the plan for you?
MO:
We are in it to fight for a top position, it’s a rally, like Petter, I also like lots. For Norwegian drivers and also Swedish it’s quite similar roads to what we are used to. It’s a rally I enjoy lots and we always come here to fight for a good position so I know, for sure, that many drivers will fight for their positions, but we want to try to push as hard as we can right from the beginning of the rally and try to challenge the factory drivers.

Q:
You tested at the start of the week, near Sweet Lamb. What was it like, what were the conditions like?
MO:
Yeah it was quite wet and muddy, so like normal really. I thought it would be a bit different going a bit earlier but so far it’s been really similar to November. Maybe it will change for the weekend but I think if it’s rainy or sunny I enjoy this rally anyway.

Q:
One of the drivers has told me he saw dust on the stage. Surely that’s not the same as December?
MO:
No, that’s actually true. We had some dust on the recce, on the last stage we recce’d on Tuesday. We actually had to stop and wait because the dust had to settle, so that was a really good feeling in Wales.

Q:
From the testing are you feeling confident? Do you think you have found the right set up from the conditions that we have. I know you said it was wet conditions but we have dry conditions by the looks of things for tomorrow.
MO:
We know we have a good car for the rain and we know from previous events that the car works very well in dry conditions as well. Okay, we haven’t been able to test in dry conditions here in Wales but I feel quite confident that if it is dry here we can do some small changes to the car to feel good. It’s just really to drive as quick as possible in any conditions.

Q:
From what you can see from the recce, how abrasive are the stages in the dry parts; will there be tyre wear issues?
MO:
I think it can be an issue. I think we have to choose the tyres well and I think it will be damp in the mornings so maybe you want to go on the soft, but then will they last or not? It’s a bit of a challenge, even if we go on the hard tyres in some of the stages they can wear out as well so we need to think a little bit about that and be careful in places.

Q:
In terms of strategy for the weekend, what is the plan?
MO:
It’s just to go as quick as possible. We will push from the first stage and push really hard this weekend.

FIA SUPER 2000 WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

Present:
Per-Gunnar Andersson
Alastair Fisher

Q:
Wales Rally GB, you lead the Championship coming here. You’ve already had two wins in SWRC so far this season, how confident are you for a win on the gravel in Wales?
P-GA:
I am confident, I don’t know about that. I will give it a go but I know that for sure there are a few other competitors that also want the glory so I think it will be a tough challenge.

Q:
It’s going to be a tough challenge again, obviously you’ve got Alastair Fisher who has competed here before, Craig Breen, Hayden Paddon. It’s a strong field in SWRC.
P-GA:
There is a strong field. I think 2008 was the last time I was here, I’ve been away for a while but the roads look good and in really good condition so I am confident to push.

Q:
Last time you were here it was in December in muddy conditions, a bit different in September, we have sunshine in Wales. What are the stages like now, what do they look like from the recce?
P-GA:
The stages up north were damp and wet when we did the recce on Tuesday and down south was very dry and I think we can be really, really quick. It looked fast and it’s challenging. No places where we can back off really, you have to be on it all the time to be on the pace.

Q:
It looks to be dry this weekend. In terms of tyre wear, what is it going to be like?
P-GA:
It’s always an issue to know what you are going to do, whether you will use soft or hard tyres, we will see. We will play the game on Friday and choose when we know what the weather is like.

Q:
What preparation have you been able to do P-G? Have you been able to test?
P-GA:
Yes, we did a test two weeks ago, then two days in France on tarmac last week – not for this rally but it’s time in the car. We made some small progress. The car is handling well, it works well in the fast stuff and that’s important here. I’m confident in the fast and not as good as it could be in the twisty, I have to keep the speed up.

Q:
What do you think the toughest challenge is going to be here in Wales this weekend?
P-GA:
It’s probably to win, but let’s go for it.

Q:
In terms of strategy then, flat out from the start or is there going to be a different strategy?
P-GA:
It’s flat out from the start. If you lose time here, it’s difficult to gain it back. I think it’s just to go for it.

Q:
P-G you have the Championship to think about as well. Obviously a win here is very important for you but getting all the points you can is incredibly important. How confident are you feeling in terms of the Championship overall?
P-GA:
I know that here is probably our biggest chance to score the maximum points and then we are back on tarmac for two rallies. I really need to be ahead of Hayden Paddon so I think about the Championship but still you have to be on the pace. The win is the most important. If I win and he is six points behind me then it’s looking better and we are equal again.

Q:
Alastair, you have the wildcard entry for the SWRC here in Wales, how much are you looking forward to it?
AF:
It’s my home event of the WRC, even though I live in Northern Ireland. I’m very much looking forward to the event. It’s my second time to compete on Rally GB, obviously I’ve done the stages in the past on some rounds of the British Championship, so we have some knowledge but there are a lot of fast guys here in S2000 cars, so it will be a big challenge.

Q:
We are used to seeing you in the FIA WRC Academy in the R2. You are now in the S2000 here of course. We have seen you in an S2000 car before but getting back into the car, is it a little bit different, are you a little rusty behind the wheel maybe?
AF:
Yes perhaps. The last time we drove the S2000 on gravel was IRC Scotland last year, so it’s been almost a year, but the car felt good on the shakedown yesterday and the time seemed strong. The feeling was good and hopefully we can push on from there.

Q:
You tested with the S2000 at Walters Arena on Monday – conditions were similar to what we see in December with rain and mud, maybe not what we’re going to see on the rally. What was it like?
AF:
Hopefully not! We tested on Monday and the conditions were extremely slippy up at Walters Arena. There was a lot of mud and you couldn’t read what was on the side of the car at all. The weather seems dry, so hopefully the stages will dry out. Like P-G said, the stages in the north of Wales were quite wet on the recce. So hopefully they will dry out.

Q:
In terms of the kilometres you managed to achieve on Monday, how many did you do?
AF:
On Monday we did around 60 kilometres, so that gave us a good feel for the car. We got quite a good setup for the wet and yesterday we completed four runs of the shakedown.

Q:
What are you hoping to achieve here? Do you think you will be able to compete against the front runners in the Championship?
AF:
To be honest, I’ll be doing my best. I know the guys are fighting pretty hard for the Championship but I feel I have the pace to put in some strong times and I think if we’re there at the finish we won’t be far away.

Q:
You are on the DMACK tyres this weekend, how were they on the test?
AF:
They felt very good at the test. We ran the harder compound at the test to leave ourselves with as many soft as possible for the rally. The feeling was good in the car and the traction seemed good.

Q:
Alistair, talk to us about yesterday because you had one of the London 2012 Olympic gold medallists in the car with you at shakedown – Pete Reed MBE. How was that?
AF:
It was very interesting. It was Peter’s first time at a rally, so it was his first time in a rally car. He was pretty big but we got him into the car and he really enjoyed it. We did one run of the shakedown and he thought that everything was awesome, so that was good. He seemed to enjoy it.

Q:
He thought the stage had started before you even got there I believe?
AF:
We left some tyre marks when we were driving up the closed road section to the start line and he thought we were on the stage. So once we got to the start of the stage then it was the proper thing but it was very special to take him for a run in the car.