Mikkelsen's Career and Co-drivers

[RS]

Hänninen said that after Fabia the Fiesta swinged so much that he almost became sea sick.

Hehe

It is quite interesting that cars running to the same rules can be so different. I think Paddon would have found as much difference between the chassis of the Fiesta and the DS3 WRCs as he did between the Fabia and Fiesta. The DS3 seems to be a much sharper more go-carty style car than the Fiesta.

It seems perhaps the Fiesta is easier to adapt to, Kubica made some comments to that effect after Janner and Bouffier was arguably better on Monte this year than last despite it being his first experience of the Fiesta.

[eppel]

Mikkelsen was in Oslo today for the start of Rallye Monte Carlo Historique. He told TV8 that he could be interested to do the historic rally when he is getting older..

Watch the interview with him her:
http://bit.ly/1dYf8FE

[Sulland]

The reason given when Mikkelsen switched co-driver when he got the VW contract, was that Ola wanted more time at home, and would not commit to a full WRC program for many years to come.

Valid point of view in my opinion!

[Juha_Koo]

The reason given when Mikkelsen switched co-driver when he got the VW contract, was that Ola wanted more time at home, and would not commit to a full WRC program for many years to come.

Valid point of view in my opinion!

It's clear this was not the case if you have seen the interview of Floene in IRC Cyprus service park after the rally was over. He didn't want to comment the matter straight, but made very clear that he would have wanted to continue.

[RS]

The reason given when Mikkelsen switched co-driver when he got the VW contract, was that Ola wanted more time at home, and would not commit to a full WRC program for many years to come.

Valid point of view in my opinion!

It's clear this was not the case if you have seen the interview of Floene in IRC Cyprus service park after the rally was over. He didn't want to comment the matter straight, but made very clear that he would have wanted to continue.

Both could be true; maybe VW demanded someone committed for a number of years and Floene said he would only want to do a couple?

But I find is strange that a co-driver who had "grown-up" with a young driver wouldn't want to join him when he got his big break.

I don't think a manufacturer should interfere with this relationship really, unless something clearly wasn't working.

[liposh]

Why do you all think about such conspiracy theories? As I said before, in my opinion EVEN motorsport needed Ola Floene to help Pontus Tidemand. It wasn´t VW decision. My theory makes sense.

[SubaruNorway]

It was VW who thought he was to old as Ola said he wanted to keep going for another 3-5 years which VW didn't like.
Funny enough Ola became Junior World Champion the next year

[Mirek]

Why do you all think about such conspiracy theories? As I said before, in my opinion EVEN motorsport needed Ola Floene to help Pontus Tidemand. It wasn´t VW decision. My theory makes sense.

The problem is that You think Your theory makes sense...

It was VW who thought he was to old as Ola said he wanted to keep going for another 3-5 years which VW didn't like.
Funny enough Ola became Junior World Champion the next year

You have probably better information but I heard the same...

[Gard]

Mikkelsen's outspoken goal, has been to win the 2015 championship. That means he has got to get podiums regurarly this year

[Mintexmemory]

Mikkelsen's outspoken goal, has been to win the 2015 championship. That means he has got to get podiums regurarly this year

I presume he made that statement before VW signed Ogier. It really is no contest, the occasional matching of Ogier's times in the Fabia are misleading IMVHO. Ogier was rally condition destruction testing for most of the year. When it really mattered Ogier could pull performances like the Sardinian stage win out of the bag. This also takes no account of Neuville, Latvala, Ostberg and Meeke, all of whom are currently better all-round packages