The BP Ford Abu Dhabi driver Mikko Hirvonen is determined to get his double World Rally Championship title ambitions back on track in New Zealand this weekend.
After two disappointing rallies in Finland and Germany on tarmac, the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority backed outfit will be relieved to return to their favoured gravel surface.
Hirvonen lost first place in the drivers' championship to the champion Sebastien Loeb, while Ford conceded their lead in the construction championship to Loeb's Citroen team. But the Finn is confident that he can overhaul four-time world champion Loeb again.
"It's certainly possible," he said. "There's more pressure on me in New Zealand and I need to win. If I don't it is not over, but it is really important for me to get a good result."
The flowing roads of Rally New Zealand, which is based in Hamilton, offer the perfect opportunity for the all-Finnish line-up of Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala to claw back the eight manufacturers' standings points they've surrendered to Citroen. Trailing the Frenchman by four meagre points, 28-year-old Hirvonen believes New Zealand's fast, billiard table smooth stages - which meander gently through lush, green countryside - are the most enjoyable of the season, inviting drivers to attack with every high-speed crest and corner.
And he's hopeful of securing a result which - should he beat Loeb by two places - would see the world championship lead change hands for a remarkable seventh time this season between the duo. "The roads in New Zealand have a good rhythm to them and they are so smooth that there's no need to worry about damaging the car on rocks," said Hirvonen.
"The cambered corners encourage attacking driving but it's important not to position the car on the wrong side of the camber coming into a corner. If the temperatures are cool and it is wet then controlling the car on hard compound tyres won't be easy.
"It's important to win rallies for our title challenges but if I can't do that then I have to score as many points as possible," added Hirvonen.
Latvala is fifth in the drivers' championship and his best New Zealand finish in three previous starts came last year when the 23-year-old came fifth. "This is a rally that I enjoy. After my disappointment in Germany, it will help to go to a rally I feel comfortable with. I prefer going here than to a tough, rocky rally like the Acropolis in Greece for example," he said. .
Abu Dhabi's Khalid Al Qassimi is not contesting this weekend's rally and will rejoin the championship next month for Rally Spain.
mwalker@thenational.ae
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPHONE%2014%20PRO%20MAX
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Company%20Profile
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THE SPECS
Engine: 4.0L twin-turbo V8
Gearbox: eight-speed automatic
Power: 571hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,000-4,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.4L/100km
Price, base: from Dh571,000
On sale: this week
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%C2%A0specs%20
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Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
Company%20profile
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
UAE%20v%20West%20Indies
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The Bio
Favourite holiday destination: Either Kazakhstan or Montenegro. I’ve been involved in events in both countries and they are just stunning.
Favourite book: I am a huge of Robin Cook’s medical thrillers, which I suppose is quite apt right now. My mother introduced me to them back home in New Zealand.
Favourite film or television programme: Forrest Gump is my favourite film, that’s never been up for debate. I love watching repeats of Mash as well.
Inspiration: My late father moulded me into the man I am today. I would also say disappointment and sadness are great motivators. There are times when events have brought me to my knees but it has also made me determined not to let them get the better of me.
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
SPECS%3A%20Polestar%203
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'Downton Abbey: A New Era'
Director: Simon Curtis
Cast: Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter and Phyllis Logan
Rating: 4/5
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Virtuzone GCC Sixes
Date and venue Friday and Saturday, ICC Academy, Dubai Sports City
Time Matches start at 9am
Groups
A Blighty Ducks, Darjeeling Colts, Darjeeling Social, Dubai Wombats; B Darjeeling Veterans, Kuwait Casuals, Loose Cannons, Savannah Lions; C Awali Taverners, Darjeeling, Dromedary, Darjeeling Good Eggs
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh219,000
On sale: Now
