Mikko Hirvonen’s co-driver Jarmo Lehtinen has said their victory on the Monte Carlo Rally last month has attracted a new legion of followers in their native Finland.
Hirvonen and Lehtinen led the Intercontinental Rally Challenge opener from the first stage to give the M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000 its debut victory. The event also marked the Finnish pair’s first appearance in the IRC.
Lehtinen said: “Finishing second in the world championship last year raised the interest in us but winning the Monte Carlo Rally made it clear to everyone the new season has started and has proved to people we are now ready to challenge for the world title. We’ve got more supporters because of it and it’s created a really positive atmosphere.”
Despite their success on the Monte Carlo Rally, Hirvonen has conceded it’s unlikely that he and Lehtinen will tackle any more rounds of the IRC this season although several privately-run Fiesta S2000s are due to appear on selected events.