Mikko Hirvonen is hopeful that the improvements that the BP Ford Abu Dhabi team have made to their cars will help him take the fight to championship leader Sebastien Loeb.
“The engine upgrades are another step forward,” Hirvonen told. “Although the nature of the regulations mean huge steps forward are impossible to achieve, there is more power and a bit more response and that will all help.”
Hirvonen is a fan of the upcoming rally, adding: “They are enjoyable stages to drive and Portugal is the rally I like most in the southern Europe and Mediterranean regions.”
The newly-homologated power plant available to drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen and teammates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila includes an electric water pump and a lightweight flywheel. During a comprehensive testing programme, the drivers have reported a slight improvement in outright engine performance from the upgrades.
“The engine upgrades are another step forward,” said Hirvonen. “Although the nature of the regulations means huge steps forward are impossible to achieve, there is more power and a bit more response and that will all help.”
The team’s drivers undertook a four-day pre-event test in the Extremadura region of Spain last week. Latvala began on Thursday and drove for the opening two days before Hirvonen took over to complete the programme.
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