Malcolm Wilson Preseason Q&A

While waiting for the 2009 WRC season opener in Ireland, wrc.com spoke with BP Ford Abu Dhabi team principal Malcolm Wilson to get his thoughts on the year ahead.

What has your team been up to since Rally GB?
The biggest project up to now has been a really good snow test in Sweden. We tested Pirelli's new snow tire, which is something we've never tried before, and it went very well. We did lots of kilometres and the drivers are really pleased with the performance. The factory was closed for two weeks over Christmas and the New Year; it's really the one point in the year when the team gets the chance to rest after a pretty hectic year. But we're back now and we have another test planned before Rally Ireland.

What about this year's rally car. Is it the same spec as Rally GB?
Yes, we'll be starting be season with the same Focus RS WRC we used at the end of 2008. At some point in the season, we will probably introduce another evolution, but exactly when that will be is not defined at the minute. We want to see how the early part of the season goes and then look at what we need to do.

In 2008 you had to adapt to new tires from Pirelli. What do you think will be the biggest technical challenge this year?
Probably the number of new and different events. Australia is a good example. Okay, we've been there before, but not to that part of the country. That in itself is always a challenge, because normally over time you build up knowledge of the events and you know what's needed for each one.

In Argentina, for instance, you know you have to be prepared for water splashes and you have to make changes to the car. But because we haven't competed in that part of Australia before, it's largely unknown. We've sent people out to have a look, but it's not the same as actually doing the event.

I'm sure those new events will throw something up—even though you always think you've got everything covered. We hope to build on our experiences from other rallies to try and make sure we can be competitive on the new ones.

How will your drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala cope with so many fresh events this year?
I think they'll cope very well. Especially because both of my drivers prefer gravel to asphalt, and this year there are only two asphalt rallies. Of the two asphalt rallies, one is Ireland, where a lot will depend on what the weather is doing. Both my drivers are natural gravel drivers and we've seen in the past that they've always very, very quick on new stages or new events.

Do you have any plans to introduce more drivers to the BP Ford line-up?
The way this year's championship is structured, with only two asphalt rallies, doesn't really lend itself to bringing in specialist drivers. Also, if you look at the way that Mikko and Jari-Matti were improving on asphalt towards the end of last year, then hopefully by Spain this year we'll be in an even better position. So I don't really have any plans to bring in specialists... If we feel we can strengthen our title chances by doing something like that, then I wouldn't rule it out. We have the possibility and flexibility to do it.

What is your team goal for the season?
We really feel that our drivers are ready to go for both championships. For sure, Mikko is in a stronger position; he has a lot more experience and set that incredible record last year when he became the first driver ever to score points on every round. And if you look at this season, with less events, then I think it's going to be very important not to retire. As a team we've got to make sure we keep up the reliability of the Ford Focus. Then, of course, we have Jari, who had proved he has the speed to win rallies. I think the combination of these factors puts us in a strong position for both championships.

What instructions will you be giving to Mikko and Jari-Matti before Rally Ireland?
Before the rally, the drivers will come to the factory for a two-day strategy meeting, and that's where we'll be discussing what we hope to achieve and our tactics for individual rallies. We already know that, for instance, Sebastien is going to be very difficult to beat in Ireland, especially if it's clean and smooth. But on the other hand, if it's snowy, then anything can happen. We will prepare a strategy, but as we've seen in the past, anything can happen on rallies and you've got to be prepared to change it.

What is the latest on the driver line-up and event calendar for the Stobart VK M-Sport Ford team?
Matthew [Wilson] will be doing all 12 events. Henning will also do all 12 but this year his car will carry some Stobart branding as well as Expert. Urmo Aava is signed up to drive eight rallies starting with Ireland, although that program might increase. We're in negotiations with other drivers as well, so there are opportunities for the team to grow. Henning and Urmo are points nominated for the first two rallies. Beyond that, they will be decided rally by rally.

What do you think Urmo Aava is capable of this year?
We all know he put in some really impressive performances last year. But this year he'll be tackling some rallies he's never been to before. I would certainly hope he takes a sensible, balanced approach on the new events, and on those where he's got some experience then we hope he can get on the podium. He certainly tested very well. Once he'd driven the car, he made up his mind that he wanted to be in a Ford, so that was great news for us.

And what about the Munchi's team?
Federico Villagra is down to do eight rallies. There's no second car yet, but that's our target and we're working on it. Federico's first rally will be Cyprus, and he'll be coming to the UK for a test before that.

How about Gigi Galli? Does he have some credit with the team after only a partial season last year?
Gigi doesn't have any rallies in hand. In view of what happened last year, any funds left over were returned to him. His program for this year is unconfirmed but we're still speaking with his management. Hopefully, at some point, we will get to see him back behind the wheel of a Focus.

Any chance we'll see Petter Solberg in a Ford Focus this year?
You'd have to ask Petter! I have spoken to him, obviously, but any drives would have to be on a commercial basis. But for sure, we'd be interested to have Peter in the Stobart team, or something like that.

How do you rate the challenge of the new Citroen Junior Rally Team?
Judging on what they've got, they're a very strong team, particularly now that they've got Chris [Atkinson] on board. Last year we saw the potential of Sebastien Ogier in a Super 1600 and also in a WRC car on Rally GB. There's no question that they're going to be very strong. They are going to be quick, but as a junior team I think there will be the odd mistake, too. However, from the point of view of the spectacle and the championship, it's going to be very exciting. I think this year's competition has the potential to be one of the best of the last few years.