Mikko Hirvonen has completed his first test in a factory Citroen DS3 WRC. The Finn covered 500 kilometres over a three-day period late last month although the terms of his contract with former employer Ford means he can’t discuss it publically.
Hirvonen joined new team-mate and eight-time world champion Sebastien Loeb during the gravel-based test in the south of Spain. Loeb ran for two days before handing the car over to Hirvonen, who continued testing for a further three days in readiness for the 2012 season, his first as a Citroen driver following his recent switch from rival team Ford.
As well as switching teams for next season, Hirvonen will have to get used to Citroen’s DS3 WRC having campaigned a Ford Fiesta RS WRC for much of this year. However, a Citroen team member told Autosport magazine in the United Kingdom that it wouldn’t take long for Hirvonen to adapt to the car that carried Loeb and former team-mate Sebastien Ogier to five victories each in 2011 and Citroen to its seventh manufacturers’ crown.
“The good thing with these World Rally Cars is that they’re not radically different - there’s not the room in the regulations for them to be too different - so it won’t take him long to get up to speed,” said the Citroen team member.