Post event Press Conference
Sunday 24 May

Present:
1st - Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Motorsport
1st - Miikka Anttila, Volkswagen Motorsport
2nd - Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Motorsport
2nd - Julien Ingrassia, Volkswagen Motorsport
3rd - Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Motorsport
3rd - Ola Floene, Volkswagen Motorsport
Jost Capito, Team Principal, Volkswagen Motorsport

Q:
Jari-Matti, congratulations! How do you feel?
J-ML:
I am really happy. The presure coming out of my shoulders is enormous. The confidence has been really on the bottom and then climbing the hill to win is great. Seb was suffering a lot and driving superbly, considering his road position. I decided to push all-out on the long stage, our tactic paid off. Today I was on a different level to yesterday and the first day.

Q:
The pressure was on from Sébastien today – you risked it all?
J-ML:
The Fafe stage, even though I like it, Seb did it in the Rally Sprint last year and I only did it one time before. I thought I might lose it there. We still calculated in the 32 kilometre stage that it should be enough. We both concentrated so hard and attacked in the long one.

Q:
You got some advice from Miikka – what did he say?
J-ML:
In the first one this morning, when I pushed we were going too fast to the corners and not getting out of the corner cleanly. I needed to keep it on the clean line. Five kilometres into the stage he said: “You are going great, it’s going well.” This gave me confidence we were going in the right way.

Q:
This takes some pressure off?
J-ML:
It does. I wanted some points from the Power Stage, but when you really need the victory, you can’t give everything for the Power Stage. I was quite happy. I did two mistakes, but Seb was fantastic there. I was happy with the victory and two points. It’s really good after the rough time I have been going through.

Q:
Does this erase the rough time?
J-ML:
I want to keep it that way. When you don’t do well, you end up in negative circle and start to be negative yourself. It’s not just the driving, but also the negative energy is coming and that’s not good. We needed to get out of the circle and now I don’t want to get back in the circle again.

Q:
Miikka, how do you feel about the win?
MA:
I feel very, very relieved. I was getting some pressure from home… my five-year-old was playing a last game before the summer break and he got the special trophy. Then on Wednesday, he was running in the community championship, cross-country for 200 metres and he won from 22 competitors. On Wednesday evening on Skype he said: “Hey dad, you have to win – I don’t want to be the only one with trophies in the house!”

Q:
It must come as a big relief?
MA:
The mistakes in the couple of previous rallies, they have not been huge – but the consequences have been dramatic. It started to feel so difficult again. It’s a big deal.

Q:
Did you feel you needed to say what you said in the long stage?
MA:
Not really. We talked about it before and normally it’s just the notes, whether they are too fast or too slow that we talk about. But the clean line was definitely the fastest, I felt so good in the first five kilometres, the car was really following the line, it was more like feedback just to say, it’s going as we planned.

Q:
Seb, another epic drive from you – especially today. Does it hurt not to win?
SO:
What is coming out is satisfaction, with 21 points this is almost the perfect operation for the championship and that is my goal number one this year. Of course you heard some frustration coming from me. I am like this, I say what I think and sometimes I things when it is quite hot.I am always [having] problems to control my frustration. I say what I think directly to everyone. I have to say something about that. I said at the end of the stage that it was frustrating that the best driver is not winning this weekend. I say that, but I need also to say this is not the fault of Jari – it’s the fault of the rules. It’s like that. He did the job he had to do and especially today he drove as fast as he could to keep me behind and he did it well. Congrats to Jari and Miikka. Regarding myself, I didn’t risk it all. It would have been stupid. I am in a good position in the championship and I have to think about it. That’s my goal number one in the season: I want to be world champion again. Eighteen points is good. I keep the pressure, but on the long one I was a bit too cautious. I conserve a bit too much my tyres. Even so, even if I push maximum I could be quicker, but not overall. I am happy at the end and happy for the team after a chaotic Argentina rally.

Q:
You got the tyre strategy right though?
SO:
It was not perfect, but pretty good. We were driving a new rally, this was a new challenge. We tested under the rain two weeks ago, so we could only base things on the past and our experience. The only small problem on day one was because of a puncture – a small cut in the side of the tyre. It cost me 10 seconds and but I’d rather not think about these 10 missing seconds. But we did a clean drive and saved the tyre a little bit better than the rest.

Q:
Julien, what did you think of this rally in the north?
JI:
It’s not easy to bring the rally here. We knew there would be many people, you could see that from 10 years ago. But everything was under control. I like the Sunday and Saturday stages, but I felt Friday was a little bit artificial. It was a good event. Mathematically I am happy: we increase the lead in the championship. And I am happy to be here with our Volkswagen mates – we had a black page in Argentina, but that is behind us. It was great emotions to see Seb’s talents and skills. It was really amazing how he keeps the car on the road and fights for the win in these conditions. I am a bit disappointed this rule that makes us not in the same game and we cannot settle with that. It’s a nice fight and nice pictures, but for me we can do better in the World Rally Championship – we can make a rule more fair. In Finland we will open the road for two and a half days and then on Sunday we are behind for 50 kilometres. We can do much better than that.

Q:
Andreas, you’ve been at the sharp end in the new car all rally. How do you feel?
AM:
I feel great to be honest. It was an interesting rally for me. It was my first time with the new car, we had a great test and shakedown. We won the first stage and then we were in the lead, in the beginning it was really good and then on the second loop it was much rougher and we were too low with the car. I really enjoyed driving the car, but second time through I struggled a little bit. I need to learn the set-up changes. The potential in the car is amazing. Third place is more than I expected. Portugal has never been my strongest, it’s a great result for us and a great job this weekend – I am proud of the whole team coming back so strong from Argentina.

Q:
Did you wake up this morning and think: “Third place here I come?”
AM:
It was what I was hoping for, but at the same time my aim is for the world championship, so I wasn't going crazy flat-out. We had a good pace on the first stage and we take time, I knew I had much better tyres. On the second stage we were clean and no mistakes, there he [Meeke] lost a lot of time. Today was about no mistakes and I’m happy with the rhythm we had. When it’s like that it’s easier.

Q:
Did it take you long to adapt to the car?
AM:
Not really. Obviously I have tested the car, but I didn’t think I would settle so quickly. In the test you drive 300 kilometres and you get to know the road perfectly, it’s in the new territory when you know a car and the feeling was there.

Q:
When do you think the first win will come?
AM:
I think I am going to pretty much every event now [thinking that]. I am building my experience and I believe we have a shot for a podium in all rallies. I have my special rallies I like more than the others. Sardinia will be much worse, running at the front of the field will be tougher than here – I look for a top five there. Poland, though, we were very competitive last year and I really like that one…

Q:
Ola, it must be nice to be part of this podium?
OF:
I was thinking about this last night, I was in the Juniors in 2013 and to be able to go into this car and this team, it’s like a dream! It’s a privilege to be part of the team.

Q:
Has it been a stressful week?
OF:
On most of the rallies we are making new notes, so for us it’s not such big difference. It’s easier to have notes from year before, but this is okay no problem.

Q:
It must have been great to see all the fans?
OF:
I was here in 2001 competing with Henning Solberg and it was chaos with the spectators and the weather. This time we saw nothing on the road sections – nothing going on. In some places there were a lot of spectators in the stages, the organisers have a good plan – but I hope they are not keeping the people too far from the roads! We need them, but here the safety way was very good.

Q:
Jost, what a comeback…
JC:
It was the perfect weekend, we took the best result after the worst one – really it was really perfect. I told the guys: “I want to go to the press conference and take all of you with me – but I don’t care where you sit!” It’s been really good.

Q:
Did you expect that response from Jari-Matti in the middle stage today?
JC:
We know what he can do when he is stong and confident. We know what can happen. We don't really care [who finishes where], we let them drive and we let them win. They are the three best drivers in the world, we believe, and they can handle it. We don’t need to tell them, they can go for it and they do – it’s great for the fans and the sport. They really enjoy the competition in the team. We all sit and have breakfast together and make jokes, then they go and do their best – they get the full support from the whole team. They enjoy it as much as we do watching them.

Q:
What did you think of the rally in the north?
JC:
We had good rallies in the south as well. We had a good rally here too. I was out on two stages on the motorbike, right in the middle of the fans; they are very fair and knowledgable and disciplined, they enjoyed the rally a lot.

QUESTIONS FROM TH FLOOR

Marco Giordo
Autosprint, Italy

Q:
Jari-Matti, What was more important thing for you here?
J-ML:
My performance in Portugal has not always been great. I have had many crashes, and big crashes. But that was in south, this was a new territory and a clean table. To come here and make the victory gives very good meanings and to get back on the performance level I was in at the end of the last year… even I was doubting myself!

Ricardo Araujo
Autosport, Portugal

Q:
What crosses you mind when you fly at Fafe?
J-ML:
We were discussing this at breakfast this morning and Seb said: “You can’t go flat.” I braked, dropped to fifth and went full throttle. In the air I realise it’s a big jump, I was happy when it landed!
SO:
When we drive the stage, we can’t see the spectators unless they are in the area where there’s a big amount of them – it’s better we keep our eyes on the road! I only ask when we get more power to go faster…
AM:
Fafe is special, you go really high – when you see the people in the air you realise how big the jump is. Then you tighten your ass a bit for the landing and it’s okay!

FIA WRC 2 CHAMPIONSHIP

Present:
1st - Nasser Al-Attiyah
1st - Matthieu Baumel

Q:
Nasser we had 30 WRC 2 drivers, 10 of them could win, but it was you, Mr Experienced who did it. How do you feel?
NA-A:
Thank you. I want to say thank you to the organisers for the way they make this happen. When I hear the numbers of WRC 2, I said: “Okay it’s not an easy job…” There were a lot of good drivers and we respect all of them. But I believe in myself and I believe I can do it. After we win Pharaons Rally, it was a nice win and we came here completely fit and ready for the race. Also this was a new race for everybody. It was not easy to push – you need to check the notes and learn a lot and think about what will be the road. We did a really good job. This was a great weekend for Matthieu and me.

Q:
There was a lot of tyre strategy going on…
NA-A:
Yes, of course. We don’t take any risks, we take hard tyres and this time we use Pirelli, it was a nice tyre and fast and, yeah, it was a good weekend for us – we are so happy!

Q:
Did you take any risks?
NA-A:
For a new rally, you need to learn a lot. Sometimes, like today in the 32 kilometre stage, we say: “Okay, we go easy.” But we lose a lot of time. Lappi takes 41 seconds and we only have 13, but in the Fafe stage it was good. It doesn’t matter about how big is the gap between first and second… we are so happy to have 25 points.

Q:
The championship – championships are looking strong?
NA-A:
We compete in nine races and take nine wins – this is a great start in 2015. I think it’s really nice feeling. We work very hard from Dakar and after in Cross Country and Middle East and WRC 2. My plan is to win all three this year.

Q:
Where will all the trophies go?
NA-A:
There is a special place…

Q:
Matthieu, how were the stages in the north for you?
MB:
All the stages were completely new for us. I never did this rally, but the organisers did a very good job for the first loop – but the second loop was destroyed a bit. It was tough to make the good notes, some stages weren’t so nice and we try to do it better next year. Each race we do together we work better and better, for us it was good today.

Q:
You only had 13 seconds going into the final stage. There must have been a lot of pressure?
MB:
Yes, the plan was to go easy, but not lose so much time – but in the last stage he pushed hard and told me: “Not bad for an old man!” He can still push.
NA-A:
Forty-four, I’m 44!

FIA JUNIOR WRC CHAMPIONSHIP / FIA WRC 3 CHAMPIONSHIP

Present:
1st - Quentin Gilbert
1st - Renaud Jamoul

Q:
Quentin, congratulations how do you feel?
QG:
It’s good. After Monte Carlo, we won the first two races – this is good for the championsip. It’s been a difficult race for the mechanics of the car. We were hoping the second loop, it was good and we did it. The car was okay all the time, the mechanics did a very good job. Everything was good this weekend.

Q:
Did you enjoy the stages in the north?
QG:
It was very nice stages. The two long ones were very nice to drive and not too rough – not for me. I like the stages.

Q:
You must feel quite confident now?
QG:
Yes we have quite a good gap for the others drivers. I am looking forward to Poland now.

Q:
Are you happy with the pace?
QG:
Yes, we take no risks. We pushed not so hard, the roads were rough and we had to manage the car. We did the same rally as Monte Carlo. It will be the same in Poland.

Q:
Renaud, it’s been a strong field here – were you worried?
RJ:
Yes, there are a lot of cars in Juniors this year, we knew it would be a difficult race – it’s back to the north and more rough than the south. We have the experience of how to drive this small car on the rough stages. We were sixth, 40 seconds behind the leaders early on, but we knew that was too fast. After the first day, I think there were only eight cars. Our way was not too bad. We control the pace and let the others do the best times. This is the clever strategy sometimes, it’s not so bad to do this – it’s part of the experience. It’s not easy to drive at this pace, it’s easier to be flat-out. He did it not so bad.

Q:
How was your weekend with new notes?
RJ:
It was a busy weekend. It’s nice to see this rally back in the north – there were so many people in Fafe, it was incredible in there and nice with the jumps. It’s part of the championship to be more difficult, It’s not just about the fast roads.

Q:
This gives you good confidence?
RJ:
It’s the best way to start the championship. We have 28 points in the lead, it’s a bit more than the win. We have to stay clever and drive faster and not think too much to the championship until the end.