Mikkelsen gets Skoda for WRC return

3rd September 2010

By Richard Rodgers

Andreas Mikkelsen will return to the World Rally Championship on Rallye de France later this month after agreeing a deal to drive a Skoda Fabia Super 2000 for Pierfranceso Zanchi’s Skoda Rally Team Italy operation.

Mikkelsen, whose last outing in the series was on Rally Sweden in February when he drove an M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000, wants to use the event to test his pace against the Super 2000 World Rally Championship regulars.

His manager, Erik Veiby, said the run was part of long-term plan and suggested the Norwegian’s future lies away from the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, which he is currently contesting in an M-Sport Fiesta with funding from tyre firm Hankook.

“We have a long-term plan with Andreas and this is one thing we want to do to bring him to an even higher level,” said Veiby. “Rallye de France is a new rally this year and it is important for Andreas and Ola [Floene, his co-driver] to gain experience in this rally.” 

Veiby added that it was Mikkelsen’s preference to use a Fiesta on the event but a lack of available cars forced the switch to a Fabia, a car the 21-year-old has driven in the past.

“Of course we would prefer to use the Ford but Rallye de France was not on our programme and the M-Sport team will have so many cars in the rally so they could not offer us service,” said Veiby. “We have no problem to accept that. Skoda Rally Team Italy will give us the Evo 2 version of the Fabia S2000 and we are sure that Andreas will be competitive in the rally.”

Before his appearance in Alsace, Mikklesen will contest the IRC-counting Rallye Sanremo in Italy from September 23-25. He is due to test for Skoda Rally Team Italy on the Monday after the event.