Mikkelsen eyes turnaround this season
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2019 16:22:59 +0000
Andreas Mikkelsen will make radical changes to his car set-up and driving style in an effort to change his fortunes this year.
Much was expected of the former Volkswagen ace when he joined Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team in late 2017. But he had only one podium finish in last year’s World Rally Championship (WRC) season.
Mikkelsen admitted his performance had led him to rethink his approach, especially on asphalt rallies.
“I think in general on gravel we did an okay job, but on asphalt I struggled a lot,” he told wrc.com. “After a lot of studying I’m coming into this season with a fresh mindset.”
The Norwegian believes a simpler approach to the set-up of his Hyundai i20 will be the key to improving his chances of taking more podium finishes.
“Last year I tried to make it more like what I was used to, but maybe this car you just have to drive as it is – like the other guys have spent five years doing,” he explained. “I will now try to copy a lot, and just drive it like it is.”
The 29-year-old is also looking to alter his driving style and has analyzed data and onboard footage of team-mates Thierry Neuville and Dani Sordo to take inspiration from their techniques.
“It’s a lot about how they approach corners as well as the car set-up they have,” he explained. “I was braking a bit later and trailing more on the brakes going into the corners to get the car to turn in.
The way I set up the car was probably better for turning in, but it cost a lot of grip.”
“It looks very easy when you see the differences, but I’ve driven with this approach for 10 years and changing it is difficult,” Mikkelsen added.
Nonetheless, Mikkelsen remains confident that he can turn his fortunes around this WRC season.
“It’s quite normal in sport that you have good years and challenging years. Last year has been my most challenging, but I know if we keep working hard and put all our efforts and energy into it, it will turn around,” he said.
THE TIMES
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