Congrats Mikko and Jarmo

[A.F.F.]

- "How do you feel to beat the Big Boys Mikko? "
- "I dunno, they doesn't seem so big anymore."

:up:

How com Mikko and Jarmo were on another level in Norway ??

Mikko has admitted he yet lack the same level of routine than Marcus, Sebastien and Petter. Hence, he said he simply haven't got the guts to push like they do. That happened in Finland, which is in a way very similar to Sweden. And New Zealand. And Australia. In those particular rallies Mikko is right up the behind top two doing that valuable job the second driver of the team has to do, collecting and securing manufacturer points.

What was it so special in Norway Mikko was simply uncatchable? I wasn't in Norway but I got the idea Rally Norway is a bit slower than Sweden. More narrow, twisty and bumpy. The avarage speed doesn't get as high as in fast rallies. Could it be that now they didn't drive on wide fast roads which allow the maximum pushing, that kind of pushing Mikko is yet to developing, he found it more secure to push.

That added to perfect notes and good car and tyres :)

the reason I made this thread is NOT TO PUT down Mikko's performance. But to analyze a bit what happened and that do we have a right to expect more to come, let's say from Mexico ??

One more time, congrats Mikko and Jarmo. No more bambinos :D

[Tomi]

yes, congrats to Mikko and Jarmo, 1 great win.

[White Sauron]

Congratulations to Mikko and Jarmo! Now, when they have confidence they can beat Gronholm and Loeb in a direct fight, let's hope they will fight for more wins this year!

[Harde]

Congrats to Mikko and Jarmo and, of course, congrats to Ford for a beautiful 1-2-3 :)

[White Sauron]

By the way... Hirvonen has become the FIRST Gronholms teammate since 2001 (Rovanpera) to beat him on his favorite surface!!! No one could do this! Neither Burns nor Martin!

[GigiGalliNo1]

congrats!!! well done and many wins in the near future! I didn't think he'd be the first outta Loeb and gronholm to win, was thinking more like solberg but an amazing job Mikko!! All the best and can't wait to see the coverage! :D

and of course more wins! :p

Fantastic!

[JAM]

Congratulations to the two guys. A really fantastic rally, a very fast start and a very strong mind to handle the big pressure. Let's see who will be n. 1 at the end of the year. Could be a matter between fins :D

[Brother John]

Congrats to Mikko and so many others, also Norway for the beautiful splendid rally!

I see that there is just 2 top drivers in WRC, in stages that they know and in fast stages.
For me It is more fun like It was in Norway!
:idea: So wrc need more new rallys and new slower stages to become more intrested. Something where the organisations must think about!
Hope to see in the future more new and twisty stages everywhere! :up:

[N.O.T]

Great win !!! And it came on a rally that was used for the 1st time thus experience wasa the same for everybody !!!

[Mudflap]

Congratulations to the two guys. A really fantastic rally, a very fast start and a very strong mind to handle the big pressure. Let's see who will be n. 1 at the end of the year. Could be a matter between fins :D

Yes Congratulations to Mikko but as JAM states the most important point was that he was able to handle the pressure.

In fact it was loeb who broke under the pressure from the ford men and from an interview that Marcus gave on day two saying that he could not catch Mikko.

"Class drive from Mikko"

[EuroTroll]

Congrats to the happy couple! :up: A truly magnificent drive.

[Buzz Lightyear]

Well done Mikko.

Its simply because its the first event where Mikko has been on a level playing field. No previous years notes, no local knowlegde.

I also feel that in-car splits are beginning, wrongly, to play a major role in rallying. I think in SS1, Marcus was getting splits for Seb, and Seb getting splits for Marcus, and they both forgot about Mikko!! who just drove flat out. Mikko got a 14s jump, and more or less, held that all rally.

People talk about experience of the stages, well this rally was a perfect example of how, natural talent CAN compete with the world champions, given a level playing field.

On that note... from an organisers point of view.. is it feasible to have totally different stages from year to year?

[White Sauron]

Well done Mikko.

Its simply because its the first event where Mikko has been on a level playing field. No previous years notes, no local knowlegde.

I also feel that in-car splits are beginning, wrongly, to play a major role in rallying. I think in SS1, Marcus was getting splits for Seb, and Seb getting splits for Marcus, and they both forgot about Mikko!! who just drove flat out. Mikko got a 14s jump, and more or less, held that all rally.

People talk about experience of the stages, well this rally was a perfect example of how, natural talent CAN compete with the world champions, given a level playing field.

On that note... from an organisers point of view.. is it feasible to have totally different stages from year to year?

Actually I do agree with you on the role of splits in a moderan rallying, but...! On first SS ok, they didn't take Mikko into account. But on the re-run of the stage? And on Saturday's two long stages? No, it was just his (Mikko') pure speed. And he mentioned at the press-conference that he pushed on long stages to just control his lead on short! Great strategy that proved to be ideal!

[Woodeye]

Yep, as the others have said, it was a great rally by the singing couple.

Congrats! And hopefully the next will come already in Mexico!

[Tomi]

Yep, as the others have said, it was a great rally by the singing couple.

"Rallikuskiksi pääsystä toiveita elätän
Turha on äitien sankaripoikia neuvoa
Eihän rallia voiteta jos siellä pelätään
Maalissa juhlitaan voittajapoikaamme Miikkoaa"

Lol, that was fun :)

[Josti]

Great win! He really showed himself here. Looking forward to the next new rally in Portugal.

But first, let Mexico be Petter's one :up:

[Magnus]

Mikko Hironen (or something like that) won btw a golf-tournament today... :)

[COD]

Congreatulations to them, great drive. Now lets hope he can keep up the momentum. It won't be easy against those two

[Tomi]

Mikko Hironen (or something like that) won btw a golf-tournament today... :)

Yes, Mikko Ilonen, are you btw from near Göteborg, "sillstrypare" made me think so.

[mdesign]

Great result for mikko! He might have gone for It since it was a new rally for everyone, and he was promising a fight against gronholm since UK (where he spoiled on the first stage) and then on Sweden (where he had some problems on the start of the rally). Hope he keeps this attitude in Portugal (a 3-way battle for victory).

[Christina]

A great rally from Mikko and Jarmo.

Does anyone know if they did anything like this to him? ->

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y175/Yellow_dinosaur/3%20rally%20australia%202006/DSC_0116.jpg

[GruppoB]

Remember my words from previous posts, Mikko will be champion five years tops

[koko0703]

Job well done by Mikko!!! Only if he was this quick with Subaru.....

[Ranger]

That was a class act. And unlike the two "surprise" wins since 2005 (Oz '05 and '06), this rally was won purely out of being the most consistantly fast driver all rally.

Congratulations! I hope this is at least a start for a year where every other rally won't be won by Loeb or Gronholm.

[Magnus]

Yes, Tomi, I strangle sills on a little island on the swedish westcoast 50 ks from Göteborg.

[Karukera]

Big congrats to Mikko and Jarmo !

I'd also mention the major part of the pace notes / copilot which is even more crucial in a new rally.

It's way different when one hasn't driven the rally before, so experience, memory and video can't help.

Not only Mikko had an excellent perception of the stages during the recce; Jarmo put the notes down to the paper and he obviously delivered them as it should be.

Speed was already there, Ford some sort of cut the leash and let Mikko go for his wild ride !


Bravo Mikko & Jarmo !

[jure dvorsek]

Congratulations to Mikko&Jarmo! I can't remember when were Markus&Seb beeten by other driver! Now this couple did this....This is almost history!
But, one bird does not bring spring after winter-Markus&Seb will be like wounded lions in Mexico-they will drive 102 %....And forget P.Solberg, he needs a rocket if he want's to close the gap to Marku&Seb&Mikko....

[Finni]

What was it so special in Norway Mikko was simply uncatchable? I wasn't in Norway but I got the idea Rally Norway is a bit slower than Sweden. More narrow, twisty and bumpy. The avarage speed doesn't get as high as in fast rallies. Could it be that now they didn't drive on wide fast roads which allow the maximum pushing, that kind of pushing Mikko is yet to developing, he found it more secure to push.

Cannot agree about this security thing. In contrary the rally was very difficult, full of blind corners, narrow roads and snow benches waiting to catch a driver. That manifested for instance by Loeb's exceptional mistakes.

I think that the key for Mikko's succes was that the rally was new and very tricky (Marcus was not as comfortable as usually). It has said that Mikko has too complicated note system but good and well descriptive notes were probably one of the biggest key in Mikko's succes. I think that in this sector Mikko did some difference to Grönholm.

I don't epect that Mikko will be involved winning fight in every rally and I am quite sure that for instance in mediterranian rallies we will see relatively big gap to Marcus.

Mexico will be interesting rally. I guess that Fords are 3th and 4th. Some fight between Hirvonen and Grönholm. Solberg wins and Loeb is second.

[Brother John]

Mexico will be interesting rally. I guess that Fords are 3th and 4th. Some fight between Hirvonen and Grönholm. Solberg wins and Loeb is second.

Solberg wins?????? do you realy think Prodrive has a real rally car in Mexico?

[Micke_VOC]

Congratulations Mikko and Jarmo.. nice to have new winners...

[Finni]

Solberg wins?????? do you realy think Prodrive has a real rally car in Mexico?

Except the last one they have always produced competitive rallycars. It should be understood that their current model suffered huge basic problems which are identified and very likely prepared now with the new car.

And Petter has always been exceptionally strong in Mexico. He was strong even with current crap-model.

[L5->R5/CR]

Solberg wins?????? do you realy think Prodrive has a real rally car in Mexico?



As Finni said, Petter was able to challenge Loeb till the tires let him down, and that was in the crap WRC06, so who knows?