Present:
François Duval, Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team
Sébastien Loeb, Citroën Total World Rally Team
Jari-Matti Latvala, BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team
Toni Gardemeister, Suzuki World Rally Team

Welcome to the pre-event FIA press conference.

Q:
François, it’s the first time we’ve see you with the Stobart team, however not the first time we have seen you in a Ford Focus. Is it good to be back in a familiar team and car?

FD:
This car is competitive, it’s easy to drive. I did some tests and the car’s nice and easy to drive.

Q:
How many events will you be doing with the Stobart team?

FD:
I hope Spain and Germany, but it’s up to the sponsor.

Q:
You tested the car on Sunday; what did you think? Did you make many changes?

FD:
I tried to change the springs, some small clicks. But it’s not necessary. Mikko [Hirvonen] and Jari-Matti [Latvala] did some [tests] before. I did 200 kilometres of testing. It’s one and a half days – quite nice.

Q:
This will be your first time with co-driver Eddy Chevailler, how quickly do you think Eddy will adapt to your note style?

FD:
It’s quite difficult. The first time for Eddy, in a WRC car in the World Championship it’s quite difficult for him. I hope the notes aren’t coming early… I didn’t come to this event last year, so I didn’t have the notes made on the recce – it will also be difficult in the dark.

Q:
You are nominated for Manufacturer points this weekend; will you have to trade some of your speed and take fewer risks with the need to achieve a point-scoring finish?

FD:
I try to keep some points for the Stobart team, but for me I don’t know if I drive for Stobart again – but I try to take some points.

Q:
This could be a record-breaking year for you Seb, as you pursue your fifth World Championship title, but also here in Monte-Carlo you are chasing your fifth victory which, if achieved, would make you the most successful crew in the rally’s history. With the rally covering four days now what are the biggest challenges of the event?

SL:
For me, for sure I will try to fight for the victory – I won four times. I will try for one more. It’s always a difficult rally. We don’t have any snow, but even when it’s like this the grip is always changing from dry to mud. Also, we have some new tyres. We have to try to understand how the tyre is working. I will start like I feel, as I always do.

Q:
After so many wins on Rallye Monte-Carlo, what is the secret to success on the stages?

SL:
There’s no secret: you have to push and be faster than the others. Monte can be specific, there are some grip changes. You have to be careful to feel the road, okay the colour [of the tarmac] is a bit strange here – it could be a bit slippery.

Q:
It’s all change this year with regard to tyres, Pirelli becoming the official tyre supplier. What are your initial thoughts after shakedown, how quickly will it take the team and yourself to adapt to a new manufacturer and how will running without anti-deflation mousse affect the way you drive?

SL:
In the conditions today, the problem with the tyre is only one compound. That’s very difficult for the tyre manufacturer to make the compound which works in the dry and the wet. I never really tried for the wet, but it’s okay.

Q:
After winning four Championships, is your passion for rallying still as strong as it was when you started? You tested a Formula One car for the first time in the closed season, could that factor in your career?

SL:
I always like to fight. Okay there are some things which are a bit more boring, [taking] the aeroplane and things like that. But when I am in the car I take the pleasure. In the stages I will enjoy things. I don’t think F1, it’s completely different. It was a great opportunity for me to try, but it was just for fun. I am 33 now, and in F1 young drivers come at 21 or 22. No it’s just for fun.

Q:
Where do you think your main competition will come from?

SL:
The main fight, it’s hard to say. Mikko [Hirvonen] was really fast in some rallies last year; he won three. A lot of time [last year] he was a bit securing points for the manufacturer, because he was the second driver. Now he’s number one and he can fight to win – he can be dangerous. Also we have Jari-Matti [Latvala] and Dani [Sordo], especially Dani on tarmac. I remember in Monte last year, he was fast.

Q:
Congratulations on becoming the second works driver at Ford, Jari-Matti. How are you feeling going into 2008? What did you do when you found out you knew you had a confirmed works deal – did you celebrate?

JM-L:
It’s been great to get to the manufacturer team. Everything went well. At the end of last year it went well, that helped me for this year. I just tested, there wasn’t much time to celebrate. I was testing for Monte-Carlo and Sweden. Of course, you can always find time to celebrate with friends.

Q:
You began your schedule with the team back in December with testing; was it a shock to the system with the amount of work you had to do?

JM-L:
I knew how much work there was for a factory driver: more testing, PR work and travelling. I knew that, but always there is a little surprise. You need to eat and sleep well and everything will be alright.

Q:
Mikko was strong second driver for the team last year, securing podiums and points which helped them secure two successive Manufacturers titles. Is this the team’s expectancy of you also?

JM-L:
I think so. We are in the situation that Mikko was in with Marcus last year. I am Mikko last year. I try to get the points for the team. We want to fight for a third Manufacturers’ title – that’s very important. I will make a sensible start here and get some points.

Q:
How much pressure are you feeling to perform and show your team and others that you were the right choice as second driver?

JM-L:
Okay, we know there is always a bit of pressure in this sport if you want to do well. There are many people who would like very much to be in the position that I am in. All I can do is my job. If I can be in the top five here I will be very happy. To get good points from here is the plan. And after that, then flat-out in Sweden!

Q:
Welcome back to the WRC Toni. It’s your first event in the brand new SX4 – how has it been performing during testing and what are your thoughts after shakedown?

TG:
Okay, testing has gone quite well. We improved the car a little bit. At shakedown we had some small problems, we sorted them out, but we still have some small things to do, but the car works and the team is good. I want to be in the points – that’s the call from the team. If the weather is changeable that will help.

Q:
A new car and a new team – how are you adapting to both? Are your previous WRC experiences helping the team in developing the car?

TG:
Yes I think it is good that I have driven quite a lot of different cars before. It helps the team, there are some tips from all of the different cars. We know this works on this car and that will make this car quicker. If we can bring this experience together and make this happen, then it can help for the car.

Q:
You have achieved a podium here in Monte-Carlo before, in 2005. Where are you aiming to be this year? What do you think the realistic goal is for this season? How competitive do you think the SX4 can be in its opening rallies?

TG:
The plan to start with is to try and make points on the rallies. I will try to be in top six at the end of the season – we want to try to make the car a little faster and faster all of the time.

Q:
Monte is a notoriously tricky event. Do you think there is any advantage to having such a compact wheelbase car on the tight, twisty stages?

TG:
Okay, if there is a lot of snow it could be a help in small roads. Okay, in other roads maybe not. I want to be, maybe, in the points here, but the team wants us to bring the car to the finish first.