Present:
Per-Gunnar Andersson - JWRC
Conrad Rautenbach - JWRC
Sébastien Loeb - Kronos Total Citroën World Rally Team
Marcus Grönholm - BP-Ford World Rally Team
Kosti Katajamäki - Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team
Manfred Stohl - OMV-Peugeot Norway

Welcome to the pre-event FIA press conference.

Q:
Welcome to Finland. We’ve not seen you in action since Sardinia in April. What have you been doing for the last three months or so? Have you been doing any rallies or testing? What’s it like to be back? Are you feeling confident?

P-GA:
I’ve been working at home. I’ve done some Swedish Championship events in my own car and some training on the jet-ski on the lakes. It’s been a nice time. It’s good to be back in Finland, these stages are probably the best you can do. There’s a good feeling. I feel very confident and the car is ready. The car’s been good all season, we’ve been a bit unlucky, but now we fight for the podium and I want to be on the top.

Q:
Your story is a bit different to that of P-G; you’ve been very busy indeed, so run us by the month of August. Has it been difficult jumping from one car into another all the time? Do you feel tired by this sort of schedule?

CR:
I’ve done five rallies in five weekends. Lots of rallies in different cars, some on asphalt some on gravel, some in Africa and then with a Group N car and a 1600 car. It can be quite tricky to adapt, but I’m lucky to be out so much. You have to keep in mind what car and what surface you’re on. After the first few stages, it’s not too bad. You have to keep your wits about you. I don’t feel tired, you just keep on it with rallying, keep going and more rallies – I’m really looking forward to this weekend.

Q:
Last year you had a big accident in Finland, does that worry you at all? With the situation in the Championship at the moment, do you have to push hard from the very start or do you have a particular tactic? This is the first rally all year when you will be up against all of the Citroëns; how exciting do you think this will make the rally? What do you think about the Championship this year; does it seem strange to you that you only meet your key rivals on a few occasions?

P-GA:
I’ve forgotten about that accident. Now I’m looking forward to meeting the stages again and going as quickly as possible. Accidents don’t have any effect on me. I’m going to stay more in the middle of the road, but I think Conrad rolled in the same place as me last year. I have to be a bit smart, I don’t need to go flat from the start – I can see what the pace is like. My speed is quite close to where I need to be at the moment. We have to see where to put maximum attack and see if it works. Ten points is so important from here and from the next event in Turkey. But Turkey can be tough and the same in GB. GB can be slippery and foggy, tough. Having all the competition is how it should have been all season. We need the interest and good competition like this all season.

Q:
What about your Championship situation Conrad? You did Rally Deutschland so does that put you in a stronger situation? What’s your target for this year? How about next year, do you think we’ll be seeing you in the Junior World Rally Championship again?

CR:
All the cars should be on all the rounds. We’ve got this event and Turkey left. We were fourth and on for another good points haul in Germany until a problem with the car. I think we need the same strategy as P-G; we’ll ease into it and get a good feeling from the car. Then we’ll take it from there. We’re gaining experience, setting some reasonable times and staying on the road. We know we’ve got reasonable pace, but we want to push it up a little. We’re still trying to decide on a plan for next year, we’ll have to wait and see.

Q:
There has been a lot of speculation about Suzuki’s new World Rally Car. What do you know about it? Will we see you driving it next year? There will be a lot if testing next year – will you do it yourself? Are you confident that you will find a drive next year?

P-GA:
I don’t have a clue. I will see. I hope so, but at the moment I don’t know anything. We haven’t discussed anything about next season. I’m concentrating on this season at the moment.

Q:
Conrad, just a word about this event in a Super 1600 car. There’s obviously not the same level of power and traction as you get in a World Rally Car so how do you make sure of keeping the car’s rhythm flowing from corner to corner?

CR:
The cars are quite tricky to drive. You have to drive hard into the corners and carry the speed. You don’t have the traction to pull you out. Being front-wheel-drive, the back end of the cars is quite edgy all of the time. This is why they’re good Junior cars, they teach you how to drive. Sébastien (Loeb) has shown that you can get out of one of these Junior WRC cars and step up to the full World Rally Car quickly.

Q:
In Germany you equalled Carlos Sainz’s record of 26 world rally victories. Has that sunk in yet? So what do you think your chances of breaking the record here in Finland are? How satisfying would it be for you to beat Marcus on home territory?

SL:
Not a lot of days to think about it. We had the recce for Finland and shakedown today, not so much time. I don’t know about beating it. Finland rally was always the most difficult for me to win. It’s very specific, very fast places, jumps, crests, very difficult. Last year I was in a good rhythm for the first time here, not enough to win, but not so far away. I am happy with the settings on the car, so I will do my best. For me it would be the rally I would like to win, so it would be a great moment like it was when I won Sweden. Okay, we’ll see. I will try to go faster.

Q:
What do you think the chances are of Sébastien beating you here? How hard did he push you here last year? Do you think you still have an advantage here or not? You’ve won here five times in the last six rallies – what is the secret to it?

MG:
I think his chances are good. He was quick last year and fast everywhere; I’m sure he can drive like that again. He was not far away, the first day we were the same. The second day we made a little bit of a difference. I’m expecting the same this year. There’s not really any more pressure for me. I know this rally quite well, but no, I don’t feel extra pressure. It’s always the same, this rally, it’s difficult. I don’t always enjoy it; it’s very fast and difficult.

Q:
Hi Kosti, welcome. You had quite a big accident on a local event a couple of weeks ago; what happened and are you feeling any better? So now you are using a different car, what is your objective for this rally and where do you think it will be possible to finish? Do you think Finnish drivers have an advantage here?

KK:
I’m feeling okay. In the accident, I went a little too fast into the corner, it’s so difficult to say what happened. It wasn’t the first time and maybe not the last time, but I feel okay. It’s a different car for this one, it’s a really good car – an 04 or 05, I’m not sure about the number, but it’s a good car. It’s quite difficult to say in numbers where I want to be at the finish. I want to go faster and faster on every stage and finish at the top of the private drivers. I don’t think there’s an advantage for the Finns. This will be my fourth time in Jyväskylä and there are many drivers who have been here more than me. Of course, the type of the stages is quite familiar for us, but it doesn’t make a big difference.

Q:
You are driving the winning model from last year, the Peugeot 307 WRC. From what you know of the characteristics of this car, do you think it will be well-suited to Rally Finland again? You ran consistently in the top six on the asphalt in Germany, finishing fifth – do you think you can aim for a top six again here in Finland?

MS:
A lot has changed on the car from last year. As the other drivers say, this is a difficult rally and it will be for me and for the car. It will not be so easy for me, I have to remember that in Sweden I was not going to be in the top places, but then I was in fifth – why not here? I was not so good here last year, so we don’t know. If you come here to fight for top places it’s the nicest rally in the world, but if you have to fight for points it is one of the most difficult rallies in the world – but still one of my favourites.

Q:
You’ve just come here from Rally Deutschland – what’s it like doing two rallies back to back? Do you think that it works well, or is it too much of a rush?

SL:
I think it’s not a bad idea. It was complicated a little bit because we came from a Tarmac rally to a gravel rally. For the future, Sweden and Norway will be a very good idea – being one week apart. If, after those rallies, we have a bit more time at home, it’s good also.

Q:
Marcus, what do you think of the back-to-back rallies? Were you able to spend any time at home or was it straight from Germany to Finland? It’s quite a hectic second half of the season, but do you think it is worth it to have the long break in the summer?

MG:
I went home immediately after Germany. I was one night at home and then up here. It was good to have a break, we are busy now. It’s not only the rally, I have a lot of PR work with Ford. It was good to have the break.

Q:
Kosti, what are your ambitions for next year? Do you think we will see you in the WRC more frequently in future? How difficult is it these days for a privateer to find the money and the resources to continue at the top level? Your mentor is Marcus Grönholm; what advice has he given for this event?

KK:
Of course we have spoken about the stages. There are still many places where I don’t have experience. I have been lucky to ask Mr Grönholm for advice.

MG:
We should remember it is Kosti’s first time in a World Rally Car. It’s not the same as in a Super 1600 car, these things are a little bit quicker…
 
KK:
That’s true and I have been a little surprised at how many changes I had to make to the notes because of the speed. Hopefully it is a help for me to get a good result, having him [Grönholm] to talk to. There are more things about the stages, other things I can ask. It is quite difficult at the moment, not so many rallies at the moment. But I am in a good position; I know there are many drivers sitting at home who would like to be in my position. I’m not complaining. I will do my best to make a good result.

Q:
Manfred, do you agree with Kosti? Do you think you will be able to find the budget, together with your sponsor, to complete another full programme on the World Rally Championship next year? Are you happy with the way your season has gone so far?

MS:
It’s very difficult. I am very lucky with my long-time sponsor; I work with OMV for 13 or 14 years. They are happy with my success and I’m happy with the team and the Peugeot. We are in a good position with Henning and me; we are the top Manufacturer Two team. It’s nice for me, the first time in my career that I have a full season. For sure, I would like – I want to do it, but it’s early to say not and very difficult.