Q&A: Juho Hänninen - 4 June 2010

Škoda Motorsport’s Juho Hänninen leads the Intercontinental Rally Challenge drivers’ standings after four rounds and says he plans to increase his seven-point margin on the tough gravel tracks on Rally d’Italia-Sardegna.

How important is a win for you in Sardinia?
“I would like to and I would need to win the rally because we have in the future Tarmac rallies and the winning there for me will definitely be more difficult. But at the same time I need to see the finish of the rally and when we see the entry list it’s not easy to drive for the victory. Sébastien Ogier will be very fast and he only has to think about the winning. It’s stupid for me to take any big risks. If second and third are okay then maybe it’s clever to take those points. But the first idea is to drive for the victory.”

You’ve been tipped as the favourite to win in Sardinia. Does that put you under any pressure?
“No because I want to do rally by rally. Last year it was so big disappointment but after that I got a good feeling for the car and the driving. The driving has been more relaxed and I have a better feeling, just trying to do the best and not thinking too much.”

Why have you been more relaxed?
“Okay, last year because we didn’t do the whole series so I was concentrating on winning the rally only and I was pushing on rallies where I did not have experience because I was there for the first time. I was a little unsure and that’s why I did not have the best confidence in the car. On Tarmac I was still learning. This year I have taken a different attitude. I am not trying to take big risks but just to finish rallies. Starting from Monte my driving has been quite relaxed and I am very happy with my car we have on gravel. We made a good test before South America. Over there I got a lot of confidence and in Argentina I had a good feeling. I was very confident over there. It was a big surprise the result over there.”

You’ve done Sardinia twice – what do you think about the event?
“I don’t know so much about the first day. The second day is familiar more but the first day is completely new. It’s difficult to say what will happen because I have no experience of those new stages. Over there it will be very hot at that time of the year, not raining, so there will be a lot of loose gravel. Starting position will therefore be important and I don’t know how it will go because of that. On the second day we will see a real fight because on the first day it won’t be easy.”

Is it a hard place to rally?
“It is quite demanding because grip is changing a lot and sometimes you have a loose on the top and in some places it is very, very smooth and very sandy so it makes it very slippery. But still it’s quite smooth and narrow so it’s easy to make a mistake like hitting a rock by the side of the road. It’s very hot. Not so rough in the second pass with Super 2000 unlike WRC cars but still the second time there is a risk of puncture so it is a demanding rally.”

Is there a big puncture risk?
“It will be a risk but as I have seen it’s not getting better if you are thinking about it more and trying to be more careful because it is more easy to get the puncture at that moment by being too careful. It’s better not to think too much about this.”

Who will your rivals be?
“Ogier for certain and we all know why he is coming. Kris Meeke is a little behind in the points and I know what he is thinking. There is only one thing that he wants so that is two drivers with the attitude of trying to win the rally. Guy Wilks will also be fast.”

What about your team-mate Jan Kopecký, who has said before that he doesn’t like driving on gravel so much?

“In Argentina he was not so fast on gravel but Sardinia he has done before so for sure he will be better.”

Can you win in Sardinia?
“Of course I think. I have to believe. It will be very nice to win there and if I can do that when we have seen the speed of Ogier – it will be a huge, huge task. If it demands a big risk then I will think safety wise.”

How did you prepare for this rally?
“We did a small test on Monday but we also did the world championship rally in Portugal last week. It was a good rally but quite difficult. On Friday it was perfect but then on the second and third days it was a little bit difficult but I learned a lot. We had good speed but Ford had some good drivers and I needed to push quite much and use the road as much to compete with them. But then I noticed the limit and hit a little bit the suspension.”