Mikko will find missing fifth gear, says Wilson

M-Sport boss Malcolm Wilson says that his No.1 driver Mikko Hirvonen can find the ‘missing fifth gear’ that he lost at the start of the year.

“He lost that fifth gear in the car somewhere and had a dreadful season by his standards. But, as we’ve always done as a team, we’ve got to give him the support to get back there. We know [his ability] is there and we’ll work with him like we’ve worked with Jari-Matti [Latvala] and like we worked with our cars to get them competitive after Bulgaria.”

Hirvonen got the year off to a great start with a win on the season opener Rally Sweden, but his form went downhill from there. He made a mistake in Jordan, clipping a bank going over a jump, which sent him into the undergrowth. A monster crash at his home event while leading was his next mistake. Third in turkey was his best showing all year.

This was in stark contrast to his 2009 campaign, taking the title fight down to the final round in Wales after a string of wins in the mid-season. Bad luck in the form of his bonnet blowing up ruined his title chances.

The Finn has been showing enthusiasm towards the new Fiesta RS WRC, with both Hirvonen and team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala have tested.

“He’s really excited and looking forward to the future so that’s a positive.When you look at the year he’s had it’s certainly going to be a lot easier going into next year with a car that he’s really excited about and end it the way this season has ended with some good performances.” Wilson added.