Andreas Mikkelsen and co-driver Ola Fløene sealed an excellent two-day test in Corsica in their Škoda UK Motorsport Fabia S2000 with victory on the Ronde De La Giraglia (5-6 March).
The regional rally in Corsica fell precisely in the middle of the 12-week gap between Rallye Monte Carlo and Round 2 of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, the Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Ingles (14-16 April). With 10 demanding stages in the northern-most Cap Corse area of the island, the Bastia-based event was a perfect test for Andreas and the team.
With two stages repeated three times on Saturday (the final loop in darkness) and two stages tackled twice on Sunday, there was a good mix of road conditions to test on - ranging from smooth and very fast asphalt to twisty, bumpy and abrasive roads. Winter had yet to surrender its final foothold on the Mediterranean island, and heavy rain on the eve of the event had washed stones and rocks onto the mountain roads, making conditions even more difficult in places.
Following a detailed testing plan, Andreas started conservatively and gradually increased his pace, while the team experimented with various damper and spring settings and engine mapping settings throughout the event.
Saturday’s opening leg began at midday and in bright sunshine, meaning that the stages dried rapidly; and even at night conditions were dry. Early morning rain on Sunday made some parts of the stages very slippery, particularly under tree cover, but after using intermediate tyres for the first loop, Andreas was once again able to take slicks for the remaining runs.
Andreas drove faultlessly to complete the test as planned, with the added pleasure of winning the event by almost two and a half minutes.
Škoda UK Motorsport will next contest the Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Ingles, before returning to Corsica for the Tour de Corse (13-15 May), Round 3 of the IRC.
Andreas: “The main purpose of this rally was to do some miles as part of our preparation for Gran Canarias, and for us it was really good training in an environment which was a proper rally, not only testing. With the stages here in Corsica repeated, we could gradually increase our speed without taking any risks because we got to know the roads so well.
“We started this event at a normal pace and by the last stage we were pushing quite a bit and the feeling is fantastic with the Fabia S2000 now. It’s been a really good rally and I feel like we are back where we should be. It’s great to record Škoda UK Motorsport’s first victory too!”
Ronde De La Giraglia – top six finishers
1. Andreas Mikkelsen/Ola Fløene (Škoda Fabia S2000)…2hrs 02mins 12.5secs2. Jean- François Marchi/Eric Fratti (Peugeot 206 Maxi)…+2mins 28.6secs3. José Micheli/Angélique Ortali (Citroën Xsara WRC)…+6mins 57.0secs4. Marc Leandri/Eric Buresi (Renault Clio R3)…6mins 57.4secs5. Daniel Rognoni/Angélique Baldrichi (Porsche Cayman)…+7mins 54.1secs6. Pascal Flori/André-François Maraninchi (Renault Clio Ragnotti)…8mins 03.9secs
