Hirvonen is going to like the Jordanian stages… Latvala too!

BP Ford team leader, Mikko Hirvonen, is hopeful of taking the lead in the World Rally Championship this weekend at the Jordan Rally. The Finn is 5 points behind Sébastien Loeb, but he hopes to have a certain advantage over the Frenchman.

Indeed, according to Hirvonen, the Jordanian stages are very similar to the Finnish stages, the country where Hirvonen grew up. He therefore hopes to win this 5th round of the 2008 WRC season.

« I have never made the trip but I was able to speak to drivers and I have seen photos from our team who made the journey last year », says the Finn. « The roads seem well-prepared. The organizers must have done a good job. They look fast and rhythmic like in Finland but without the jumps. If that’s really the case, it should be good for me. »

Hirvonen, 27, ceded the lead in the drivers’ championship to Sébastien Loeb during the last event in Argentina. After four stages, he had a lead of 50.8 seconds but went off the road in the afternoon of the first day. Back in SupeRally, Hirvonen finished fifth to earn four points.

Despite an already frustrating weekend in Mexico, where he couldn’t match the pace of Sébastien Loeb and his teammate Jari-Matti Latvala, Hirvonen thinks his speed can bother Loeb: « I was much happier with my performances during the first morning of the last event in Argentina. The bad conditions may have helped me, but as they improved, I continued to gain time on Sébastien Loeb. There is really an improvement. »

The premiere of a WRC Rally in Jordan will mark the return to an Arab country after more than thirty years of absence. To be quite unique, this return includes some particularities such as the Sunday event. The third day will indeed be the most substantial in terms of trials: Sunday is the longest day of the rally, which is quite unusual. If a driver has a sufficient lead, they will have to monitor this parameter. But with about a thirty-second gap, there will be a fight.

Mikko Hirvonen’s teammate, Jari-Matti Latvala, is also Finnish and aims to perform well in Jordan: « This rally will be new, but it doesn’t worry me too much. Last year, we had three new events, and that didn’t result in poorer performances. Moreover, I’ve found a good setup on my Ford. I think if I use it, I have a good chance. »