Andreas Mikkelsen has adopted in the wheel tracks of legends akin to Miki Biasion, Bernard Darniche, Sandro Munari and Walter Röhrl by winning the FIA European Rally Championship for Drivers*.
Competing in a MICHELIN-equipped Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo for Toksport WRT, Mikkelsen place the title previous doubt on Rally Hungary this day to turn out to be the first Norwegian to rob the coveted title.
Co-pushed at some level of the season by Ola Fløene, Jonas Andersson and Elliott Edmondson, the 32-twelve months-feeble emulates Juho Hänninen, Jan Kopecký, Esapekka Lappi and Chris Ingram by lifting the crown in a Škoda.
Following 2d-living finishes on ORLEN 77th Rally Poland and Barum Czech Rally Zlín, wins on the 55th Azores Rallye and Rally Serras de Fafe e Felgueiras place Mikkelsen firmly in the title ascendancy starting Rally Hungary. And by becoming provisional ERC champion, Mikkelsen completes a momentous seven days which started with the three-time World Rally Championship match winner claiming the FIA WRC2 crownafter the effects on RallyRACC Catalunya-Costa Daurada went in his favour.
“After all, my aim earlier than the season changed into to examine out to rob the championship so I’m very glad,” stated Mikkelsen. “I knew it changed into going to be very, very complex with the total drivers so it changed into no longer for definite, that’s for definite. But we had a beautiful season, driving very gleaming and continuously getting aspects when we desired to.
“When we’re no longer talking about the enviornment championship right here is the very best title you may perchance perchance well rob and for definite winning this championship is without problems and not using a doubt among the highlights of my profession. I don’t judge someone has won these two titles in the identical season. The aim changed into in actuality, in actuality complex and excessive nonetheless I in actuality believed in the workers, Toksport WRT, and the car, the Škoda has been working so nicely and changed into the car to beat. Then it changed into as a lot as me and my co-pilot to create the job and I judge we managed comparatively nicely. The season has been amazing.”
Mikkelsen persevered: “I knowing earlier than the season it changed into potentially going to be more strong for me to rob ERC rallies than WRC2 rallies in the enviornment championship. Taking a search for assist at the season I stand at the assist of that. The lunge and the charge the fellows are doing in the ERC is in actuality excessive and also you in actuality need to push to the limit ought to you’ll need to agree with to war for the rob. It changed into complex to rob the lunge with the fellows who had been doing these rallies for a extraordinarily long time.
Taking a search for to the long term, Mikkelsen stated: “My predominant aim this season changed into to rob these two championships after which field to discover a drive in the World Rally Championship. It’s no longer easy nonetheless I judge it has been a generous abet and let’s glance where we stop up next twelve months.”
Mikkelsen’s participation in the FIA European Rally Championship this season adopted a 3-twelve months stint in the Intercontinental Rally Self-discipline, which changed into promoted by fresh ERC promoter Eurosport Occasions. Mikkelsen took assist-to-assist IRC titles in 2011 and 2012 earlier than he secured a producing unit drive in the FIA World Rally Championship with Volkswagen for 2013.
Jean-Baptiste Ley, ERC Co-ordinator, Eurosport Occasions, stated: “Andreas proved his skills in opposition to sturdy opposition and his trip in the World Rally Championship meant he changed into a terrific benchmark for younger drivers following in his footsteps. We congratulate him for his latest profession fulfillment and wish him the total handiest in his efforts to stable a fleshy-time drive in the WRC, which is what he completely deserves.”
Recent ERC champions
2021: Andreas Mikkelsen (Norway)
2020: Alexey Lukyanuk (Russia)
2019: Chris Ingram (Sizable Britain)
2018: Alexey Lukyanuk (Russia)
2017: Kajetan Kajetanowicz (Poland)
2016: Kajetan Kajetanowicz (Poland)
2015: Kajetan Kajetanowicz (Poland)
2014: Esapekka Lappi (Finland)
2013: Jan Kopecký (Czech Republic)
2012: Juho Hänninen (Finland)
Andreas Mikkelsen can be the feature merchandise on the ERC All Entry journal programme, which is thanks to be shown on Eurosport from 21h30 CET on Tuesday October 26. Viewers are told to examine local listings for fleshy particulars. A more in-depth Q&A with Mikkelsen can be issued at a later this day.
The 2021 FIA European Rally Championship season concludes on Rally Islas Canarias from November 18-20.
*Self-discipline to confirmation of the effects by the FIA
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