It’s not just a new car that Andreas Mikkelsen will have to get used to in 2013. Volkswagen Motorsport’s new recruit will also be working with a new co-driver next season, which will mean a change to how he prepares his pace notes.
Mikkelsen’s seven seasons in rallying to date were spent with fellow Norwegian Ola Floene. However, with Finn Mikko Markkula (pictured right with Mikkelsen) taking Floene’s place, Mikkeslen is changing his pace notes slightly. Previously they were in a combination of Norwegian and English; now they will be exclusively in English, a language both Mikkelsen and Markkula are fluent in.
“The system stays the same but we replace the Norwegian numbers with English ones. The new cooperation doesn’t worry me at all,” Mikkelsen explained.
Mikkelsen and Markkula have never competed in competition together although they have done a handful of tests in the same car.
“It’s actually not such a big change for either of us,” said Markkula. “We’re both looking forward to this new partnership, but it would be nice if we had the chance to compete on a rally together soon. That was the plan for Spain, but unfortunately I was ill then but I’m completely fine now.”