World Rally Championship title hopeful Mikko Hirvonen says he has no option but to go all out for victory in Wales Rally GB.
WRC title contender knows he must be aggressive in Wales
Mikko Hirvonen says he has no option but to go all out for victory in Wales Rally GB if he is to beat Sebastien Loeb to the World Rally title.
The Ford driver trails his rival by eight points ahead of this weekend's final round of the championship, with Loeb standing on the verge of an eighth-straight title, an unprecedented feat in motor sport.
Hirvonen, who was involved in a similar title-decider with Loeb in 2009, knows a win would see him take a minimum of seven points out of the Frenchman's advantage, with extra points also being on offer for Sunday's Power Stage
"The only thing I can do is aim to win the rally," the Finn said.
"If something unexpected happens to Loeb, I may not need to win anymore, but from the outset, the sole target has to be victory.
"In Wales, everything depends so much upon the conditions. If they're tricky, you need to be confident, trust the pace notes and take risks, even if you can't see so well in places."
Caution
In contrast, Loeb will be able to take a more circumspect approach through the Welsh forestry.
The 37-year-old says he will try and stay as close to Hirvonen as possible and adjust his tactics depending on the pace of his rival, who is expected to be strong on the gravel after struggling on the Spanish tarmac last time out.
"The scenario's like the one in 2009. We started Rally Great Britain neck and neck with Mikko Hirvonen and whoever finished in front of the other was world champion," Loeb said.
"Obviously, it's less stressful trying to win the title when it's not the last event. You can say to yourself that in case of problems there will be other points. This time it's now or never.
"We'll just have to ignore the additional pressure caused by what's at stake."
"With a seven-point gap between victory and second place and three points for the best time in the Power Stage, it's not a very comfortable situation.
"My aim won't be to win at any cost but to run my race depending on Mikko's. It doesn't matter to me if Sebastien Ogier, Petter Solberg or Jari-Matti Latvala are in the lead provided I'm in front of my rival."
