WRC driver Juho Hänninen

[vkangas]

I thought Juho deserves his own thread especially when he is now officially WRC driver again.

Let's start with Juho's comments from latest issue of VM. I translated them freely and made them shorter but tried to get the content right.

"We had to settle these two rallies quickly. After Monte/Sweden decision we started to do work for the rest of the season to get more rallies. I'm convinced that we will drive more than two rallies next year. If that would not be the case it would be better to not drive at all. We have agreed that I'll just drive and other guys handle the financial side."

Hänninen will have one day of testing before Monte and other day before Sweden. He thinks it's enough for good results. In Monte he will start carefully and try to raise speed during the rally.

All in all very positive stuff for Juho and for the sport!

[Mirek]

Now let someone bring some videos from today!

[RS]

Really pleased for Juho to get this opportunity but I don't think one day of testing with an unfamiliar car will be enough for him to show his full potential. Hope to be proven wrong!

[RAS007]

I thought Juho deserves his own thread especially when he is now officially WRC driver again.

Let's start with Juho's comments from latest issue of VM. I translated them freely and made them shorter but tried to get the content right.

"We had to settle these two rallies quickly. After Monte/Sweden decision we started to do work for the rest of the season to get more rallies. I'm convinced that we will drive more than two rallies next year. If that would not be the case it would be better to not drive at all. We have agreed that I'll just drive and other guys handle the financial side."

Hänninen will have one day of testing before Monte and other day before Sweden. He thinks it's enough for good results. In Monte he will start carefully and try to raise speed during the rally.

All in all very positive stuff for Juho and for the sport!

I think this a great opportunity for Hanninen, and I am really excited to see what he can do. The one question I have right now is, how do you think Hanninen's chances of doing a fuller program with M-Sport have been affected by yesterday's announcement re: Neuville, Novikov etc? Or, will he have to find his own funding regardless of that, and in essence be a customer of M-Sport?

[tommeke_B]

[Sami]

I've followed Juho's career closely for 10 years now. Juho made his breakthrough in Civic type-r in Finland. I remember getting a phone call from the late Pentti Airikkala in october 2003. Pentti kept asking who the hell is this new guy, who drove in Valvoline rally with genius lines. Pentti knew how to spot the talents, you know!

I respect Juho very much, he is tactical and wise driver and so far everything he has tried has lead to championship victory. That is really impressive. But he has never been the absolutely phenomenally fastest one. I've been wondering what is his true maximum speed. Now he has the chance to show it, I hope. Tactical Juho-like drive in Monte and then maximum attack in Sweden, please.

[Mirek]

Videoooo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKp4rO7xuLA

[Japé]

I would be amazed if someone could do anykind of even mediocre results with a new car and one day of testing.

[stefanvv]

I wish him good luck with him plans for WRC. Let we see him more often in 2013 in the Rallies.

[RS]

I still find Fiesta WRC so boring