Francisco
04-15-2011, 08:40 AM
Q&A: Andreas Mikkelsen
Škoda UK Motorsport’s Andreas Mikkelsen is out to make up lost ground on Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Inglés this week following his early exit from Rallye Monte-Carlo. The Norwegian spoke to www.rally-irc.com about his early disappointment, his plan to hit back and his love of Italian cuisine.
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS0jSOhxipO9fjbWO6Hoiqrete2LHu5g 45jO3EN-BB_NV7SD0NN
The season didn’t get off to a great start for you when you retired pretty much on the opening stage of Rallye Monte-Carlo. Are you over the disappointment now?
“Yeah, I’ve forgotten now. There’s been a lot of process work after that and all the focus is now on Canarias. We had a good rally in Corsica. I have forgotten about Monte-Carlo.”
What was the main thing you learned from Monte-Carlo?
“We had one goal there and that was just to finish but probably I wanted to show a bit more than just to finish. I know I have the speed to be up there and I don’t need to stress out on the first stage. I need to be more relaxed and won’t be attacking from the first stage in the Canary Islands.”
As a driver is it hard adopting a different approach?
“I always want to push when I am in a rally car. If you have a really quick first stage you can gain a lot of time instead of trying to catch that at the end of the rally when it is not easy when the other guys are up to speed. Finding that balance is definitely the thing to do. A little bit more careful approach is needed.”
How much help was the practice rally you did in Corsica?
“It definitely helped getting the confidence up again and definitely important to do before Canarias.”
Would you have preferred your next IRC event after Monte-Carlo to be one you know because it’s your first time doing Rally Islas Canarias?
“I don’t have any problems being first time on the rallies and also Canarias this year is a bit different roads than last year. Okay the other guys will be a step ahead from being in that area before but I am sure we can do well.”
So what have you been up to since Rallye Monte-Carlo?
“It hasn’t been a lot of driving but it has been a lot of different things going on, going to Czech Republic for presentation dinners and PR events for Skoda UK. I’ve done a rally in Corsica and basically I’ve been getting ready for Canarias. After Christmas I’ve been nine days home, it’s been a really busy schedule.”
With all that travel how do you manage to fit in your fitness training?
“I find it difficult this year because I had a lot more time off last year so it was easy to be in a good shape. Travelling so much I’m struggling to keep up the way I did last year. But Skoda UK is really nice booking me into the hotels that have a gym and that helps with my physical training when I am travelling with them.”
Do you feel like a proper factory driver now?
“I feel I have arrived now because we go to this different PR stuff and the big dinners. I never, ever used this proper suit with the bow tie before but this year I have used it six times already.”
What’s your aim for this rally?
“It’s really important to get the points on the table and not be a step behind after Canarias again. Hopefully we can have a strong finish. I definitely want to be up there fighting with all the boys.”
You drive for Škoda UK Motorsport but it’s a team in Italy that actually runs your Fabia Super 2000. How good is your Italian?
“Some of the mechanics speak very good English but some only Italian. That’s the only thing that’s not so good. I would love to speak Italian so I can speak with them a little bit more but all the main people in the team speak English very well so in that way the communication is not a problem.”
Do you plan to learn Italian?
“I will probably learn. I have already learned some words but I will increase going through the year of course.”
Now Italians are famed for their good food. Do you get to sample some of that excellent cooking?
“Italians love their food and the catering is really, really good. You get the proper food, which I really like on the rallies and also on the testing.”
What’s your favourite dish?
“I’ve been to a nutritionist in Norway to find what type of food my body takes up and what I need. It’s a special programme for me on the rallies. I don’t eat a lot of pasta because it takes a long time for the body to take up. But I eat a lot of rice and chicken, just the correct amount of proteins and carbohydrates that helps to keep the body going.”
END
Source: IRC Series
Škoda UK Motorsport’s Andreas Mikkelsen is out to make up lost ground on Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Inglés this week following his early exit from Rallye Monte-Carlo. The Norwegian spoke to www.rally-irc.com about his early disappointment, his plan to hit back and his love of Italian cuisine.
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS0jSOhxipO9fjbWO6Hoiqrete2LHu5g 45jO3EN-BB_NV7SD0NN
The season didn’t get off to a great start for you when you retired pretty much on the opening stage of Rallye Monte-Carlo. Are you over the disappointment now?
“Yeah, I’ve forgotten now. There’s been a lot of process work after that and all the focus is now on Canarias. We had a good rally in Corsica. I have forgotten about Monte-Carlo.”
What was the main thing you learned from Monte-Carlo?
“We had one goal there and that was just to finish but probably I wanted to show a bit more than just to finish. I know I have the speed to be up there and I don’t need to stress out on the first stage. I need to be more relaxed and won’t be attacking from the first stage in the Canary Islands.”
As a driver is it hard adopting a different approach?
“I always want to push when I am in a rally car. If you have a really quick first stage you can gain a lot of time instead of trying to catch that at the end of the rally when it is not easy when the other guys are up to speed. Finding that balance is definitely the thing to do. A little bit more careful approach is needed.”
How much help was the practice rally you did in Corsica?
“It definitely helped getting the confidence up again and definitely important to do before Canarias.”
Would you have preferred your next IRC event after Monte-Carlo to be one you know because it’s your first time doing Rally Islas Canarias?
“I don’t have any problems being first time on the rallies and also Canarias this year is a bit different roads than last year. Okay the other guys will be a step ahead from being in that area before but I am sure we can do well.”
So what have you been up to since Rallye Monte-Carlo?
“It hasn’t been a lot of driving but it has been a lot of different things going on, going to Czech Republic for presentation dinners and PR events for Skoda UK. I’ve done a rally in Corsica and basically I’ve been getting ready for Canarias. After Christmas I’ve been nine days home, it’s been a really busy schedule.”
With all that travel how do you manage to fit in your fitness training?
“I find it difficult this year because I had a lot more time off last year so it was easy to be in a good shape. Travelling so much I’m struggling to keep up the way I did last year. But Skoda UK is really nice booking me into the hotels that have a gym and that helps with my physical training when I am travelling with them.”
Do you feel like a proper factory driver now?
“I feel I have arrived now because we go to this different PR stuff and the big dinners. I never, ever used this proper suit with the bow tie before but this year I have used it six times already.”
What’s your aim for this rally?
“It’s really important to get the points on the table and not be a step behind after Canarias again. Hopefully we can have a strong finish. I definitely want to be up there fighting with all the boys.”
You drive for Škoda UK Motorsport but it’s a team in Italy that actually runs your Fabia Super 2000. How good is your Italian?
“Some of the mechanics speak very good English but some only Italian. That’s the only thing that’s not so good. I would love to speak Italian so I can speak with them a little bit more but all the main people in the team speak English very well so in that way the communication is not a problem.”
Do you plan to learn Italian?
“I will probably learn. I have already learned some words but I will increase going through the year of course.”
Now Italians are famed for their good food. Do you get to sample some of that excellent cooking?
“Italians love their food and the catering is really, really good. You get the proper food, which I really like on the rallies and also on the testing.”
What’s your favourite dish?
“I’ve been to a nutritionist in Norway to find what type of food my body takes up and what I need. It’s a special programme for me on the rallies. I don’t eat a lot of pasta because it takes a long time for the body to take up. But I eat a lot of rice and chicken, just the correct amount of proteins and carbohydrates that helps to keep the body going.”
END
Source: IRC Series