Andreas
Mikkelsen finished 2nd on Rally Finnskog (2 February) in a ŠKODA Fabia
S2000, completing the icy eight stage event just 10.3 seconds behind
Mads Østberg’s World Rally Car.
The result gives the
Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion and former ŠKODA UK Motorsport
driver the lead in the Norwegian Rally Championship, but more
importantly it completes a highly successful two-rally pre-season test
programme in which Andreas and new co-driver Mikko Markkula were able to
fine-tune their pace note system under competitive conditions.
The 63.2 mile (101.72km)
Rally Finnskog was held on snow and ice-covered forest roads near
Kongsvinger in Norway. There were four different special stages, each
tackled twice.
Østberg led initially,
before a fuel pump problem on SS3 gave a hard-charging Andreas the lead.
Despite the normally-aspirated Fabia S2000 being less powerful that
Østberg’s turbocharged Fiesta WRC, Andreas held onto the lead until the
penultimate stage.
Just 1.1 seconds separated
the dueling duo as they entered the final stage, and despite it being a
treacherously slippery 14.7 miles (23.67kms) long, Andreas was only 9.2
seconds slower than Østberg at the flying finish.
Coming two weeks after
finishing 2nd on the Arctic Rally in Finland, the performance on Rally
Finnskog concluded what had been perfect pre-season preparation, as the
thoughts of Andreas and Mikko now turn to their next rally together –
their debut for Volkswagen Motorsport on Rally Portugal (11-14 April).
Andreas: “Rally Finnskog
was another really good event for Mikko and I to establish our pace note
system even more and the fight we had with Mads Østberg in his World
Rally Car showed that we can be very fast in a car together. Mikko and I
have done some testing together, but it’s a lot better to do some
proper rallies and I’d like to thank EVEN management for letting us
drive its ŠKODA Fabia S2000 and contest the Arctic and Finnskog events.
It has been two very valuable rallies for us, before the serious
business starts in Portugal.”
It was also a good day for
Andreas’ former co-driver, Ola Fløene. He won the opening round of the
Swedish Rally Championship, Vinterpokalen 2013, navigating for Pontus
Tidemand (another EVEN management driver).
And congratulations to Ole
Christian Veiby, the 18-year old son of EVEN boss Erik, who recorded
some top 20 stage times to finish Rally Finnskog in style and make it a
triple celebration for the Norwegian team!
Source: Skoda UK Motorsport
