Present:
Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Motorsport II
Dani Sordo, Hyundai Motorsport 
Craig Breen, Abu Dhabi Total World Rally Team
Mads Østberg, M-Sport World Rally Team

Q:
Andreas, the unexpected winner here in Spain last year in very dramatic circumstances. Do you think you can challenge for the win again?
AM:
Yeah, I think so. We will be in for a tough weekend with the weather, but this is expected – the gravel will be very tricky. Coming back to an event I’ve won before brings confidence. I believe we can fight for the win here, but I have to keep the championship in the back of my mind. Second place isn’t a long way away, but Thierry [Neuville] is only 15 points behind me. I’ll try to keep this out of my mind…

Q:
Just two new stages this year, both run on Saturday. How did you find those during the recce? Interesting stages?
AM:
I like the Tarmac stages this year. Sunday is really nice. Saturday’s a new challenge, but we did some of the stages last year, just in the opposite direction. Even if they’re new [stages] they’re not really new because we know about the profile of the roads. I like the Tarmac here – in Corsica it wasn’t the same kind of profile, the roads there were a bit different.

Q:
Rain yesterday, and overnight, how do you think the gravel stages will be on Friday?
AM:
I think it will make things really difficult, but it will finally make it a little bit easier for the cars at the front on gravel. Even though we have seen from shakedown this morning that the conditions haven’t been changing so much as the cars passing through the stage. I hope the conditions will be the same tomorrow. 

Q:
Dani, you’ve always had good podium results but the win on your home event has yet to come. How are you feeling this time round?
DS:
I feel OK, I feel ready to fight. The feeling is good with the car. I think we can fight for victory. 

Q:
Friday, on gravel, will be tough without a mid-day service. What’s the approach tomorrow?
DS:
It’s a difficult day. The stages on gravel are very nice, but you can’t make any mistakes, you can’t have small problems. You need to be really concentrating on the road and pushing hard, but all the time staying on the road – it makes it all a little bit more difficult without a service in the middle of the day.

Q:
The Super Special Stage in Barcelona is enormously popular; how does it feel competing in the middle of the city with thousands of fans watching?
DS:
It’s really nice. It’s a really nice stage for the spectators as well. Maybe for the drivers it’s not the best, but it’s great for the fans. Today it could be a bit more difficult; we will have to be careful in this weather.

Q:
Craig, first of all congratulations on securing a drive with Citroën next year; this must be the dream come true for you?
CB:
Thank you very much – I’m still trying to come to terms with the whole thing. It was a dream come true, this is something I’ve wanted since I was a child. The moment I found out properly was during Corsica and it was difficult to sleep that night. This is a big moment in my career. I need to take it and use the opportunity the best we can.

Q:
Do you think it was your Finland performance that clinched the drive, or your all-round approach this year?
CB:
I love what I do. This is the most amazing job in the world, where I get out of bed every day with a spring in my step. Perhaps I didn't enjoy it so much in the last couple of years when there was a bit of a bad period in my career. I struggled a lot and everything seemed like it was such hard work, the enjoyment had gone a little bit. Where I am now there’s so much energy, so much focus. Me and Scott [Martin, co-driver] just need to get on with our jobs. It’s the best job in the world. I think Finland was the key this year, now I need to get the job done and to work hard. But it’s so important to finish every stage with a smile on my face and to appreciate where I am.

Q:
Once we’re through Friday and then on to Tarmac Saturday and Sunday – your preferred surface – do you think you can make an impact and what’s a realistic result for you here? 
CB:
The goal posts have been moving as the year has progressed. At the start of the year I was looking at top seven or top eight by the end of the year – but I did that in Sweden. Then I was thinking top six or maybe even top five in the second half of the year, but I was on the podium in Finland and the goal posts moved again. I’m going to the events with an open mind now, what I did in Corsica was enough. I’m not going to put a position on it, but the gravel is certainly going to be a bit slower than what I’ve done so far. I did Poland and Finland and this is a bit of a contrast to that. I need to find the speed again, like I did in Corsica. 

Q:
You said in Corsica you felt a bit disappointed with fifth position, after your podium in Finland. Are you now looking at the top end of the top 10 on a regular basis now?
CB:
Yes. It’s bizarre – even sitting here feels a bit bizarre! I need to feel comfortable in this position, but I still watch the television footage of Finland and seeing my name up there in that position looks mad! Now though, I’ve got a big brand behind me and one that expects results. Like I said, I need to feel comfortable, but I’m sure going to enjoy it. 

Q:
Mads, you spent a lot of the Tour de Corse trying a different driving style of Tarmac, what were you doing different and do you feel you made progress?
MØ: 
Yes, I feel I made progress. I managed to focus on the task for the rally. It’s small things in the driving I wanted to change. I did it for the whole event in Corsica - even though I know this was not the most efficient way to drive. But I kept doing it to learn as much as possible and I hope to bring this on to this rally to take it a bit further.

Q:
But what have you changed?
MØ:
I thought my answer was long enough… it’s small things in the braking and in the lines I chose. Maybe I was taking too much of a line on Tarmac and I was using too much of the road. I’m driving more narrow than was optimal [in Corsica] and I knew doing the whole rally I would lose out. But in some places it was working, it’s a question of finding out where it works and where it doesn’t.

Q:
What is your plan here on Spain’s mixed surface rally? Is it a question of attacking early on the gravel and damage-limitation on the asphalt?
MØ: 
It sounds like a good plan. I’m very confident on these gravel stages. The weather is doing its work and making it difficult. I was hoping for sunshine to make an advantage with our start position and I would have had some benefit on the Friday for once. [The weather has] made it more difficult, but that brings opportunities. I will try to be fast on the mud and then hang on for next two days.

Q:
Is tyre management, with warmer conditions at the weekend, going to be important?
MØ: 
A little bit, but the stages are not so long. I’m not sure it will be a big problem. We do use the tyres quite a bit, but they managed in Corsica so I’m sure they’ll manage here.

Q:
And finally, can you tell us about any plans for next year yet?
MØ: 
I’ve been asked that question so many times, but there’s nothing clear at the moment. It’s important for us to do a couple of good rallies now and come up with a plan. Not everything is closed at the moment, it’s important for us to do a good job and come up with something for next year.

FIA WRC 2 CHAMPIONSHIP

Present:
Teemu Suninen, Team ORECA
José Antonio Suarez, Peugeot Rally Academy 

Q:
Teemu, we haven’t seen you in WRC 2 since your home round in Finland; are you feeling match-fit for Spain?
TS:
I’m feeling good to take points here; I want some good points, some championship points.

Q:
The FIA WRC 2 Championship is now getting quite tight and you’re in second position, 27 points adrift of Elfyn Evans who has completed all his points-scoring rounds. What’s your realistic opinion of the Championship fight?
TS:
The target is to be podium twice. That’s not easy, but I just need to keep focused on myself and try get as good as result as I can do.

Q:
Three category wins from six rallies; a fourth here?
TS:
This is our sixth rally, I have three wins – I need a good result for the championship.

Q:
The season is nearing a close, what can you tell us about your plans for 2017?
TS:
I can tell you only that I try do as good result as I can do driving this car, we need to do good results and try to be strong on tarmac…

Q:
What are the chances of you being in a World Rally Car next year?
TS: 
Fifty-fifty.

Q:
José, you’re the only Spaniard in the WRC 2 Championship category this weekend; competing at home must always give you a boost, or are you feeling the pressure?
JAS:
I don’t feel so much pressure. I drive here like each event, I don’t care if it’s here or not, the driving is the same. I feel better, but I try to forget everything and focus everything on the stages.

Q:
It’s seems to have been quite a tough season for you, but you have shown some good pace. What are you hopes for your home rally?
JAS:
We have some problems through the year, but I try to forget and I focus on every corner of every stage. I hope it’s okay, but if it’s not I try to give my best. I try to show my speed but sometimes it’s not easy to do.

Q:
And what are you plans for next year, will we see you back in WRC 2?
JAS:
I don’t know yet, I hope stay in WRC 2 but we will see what happens. Carlos Sainz is working a lot with my career, we will see what can be done for next year – when everything is not going so good you learn a lot… more than when everything is well. We have learned a lot this year.

FIA WRC 3 CHAMPIONSHIP

Present:
Michel Fabre, Sainteloc Junior Team
Fabio Andolfi, ACI Team Italia

Q:
Michel, we haven’t seen you since Rally Argentina; I assume your hopes in the WRC 3 Championship mean you will now be competing here, Rally GB and Australia?
MF:
Yes, I’ll do the last three rallies. The target was to have a summer break and then go to here, GB and Australia.

Q:
I believe you’re only meeting Championship leader Simone Tempestini on Rally GB now; you must be aiming for a win here which would put you neck and neck going into Wales?
MF:
[Simone] Tempestini is a very good, very fast and very young driver. I am the old driver here, but I want to do the best, we will see. I want to be focused and do my best.

Q:
Did you test much for here, how are you feeling about this rally being that you’ve been out of the championship since April?
MF:
We just do a little rally during the summer. 

Q:
Fabio, there is still a mathematical chance you can win the WRC 3 title, but it is an outside chance. What is your strategy for this event?
FA:
Hello, my strategy for this rally would be to have fun and arrive at the end.

Q:
And next weekend, at the Rallye du Valais, you are back in the Hyundai R5 machinery?
FA:
I’m very happy to drive the Hyundai R5 in Valais next week, there’s no time for the test before that event though.

Q:
And your plans for 2017?
FA:
Everything depends on the budget from the federation.