WRC star Mikko Hirvonen eyes rallycross outings

Hirvonen was in attendance at the fourth round of the ERC in Finland last weekend, driving a cross kart buggy in a set of demonstration races.

2003 WRC champion Petter Solberg has now switched to rallycross full-time, while Sebastien Loeb will join the series for his home round at Loheac last this year.

"We are just here for fun doing some laps but I would really love to race in rallycross," Hirvonen said. "I want to do a rallycross event, but I want to do it properly.

"I was close to doing a deal to race here but it would have been really last minute and there would have been no real time to test or anything, it would have just been a case of going on the startline with all these experienced guys, and I'm not so keen on that. Petter is showing it's not easy."

The Finn said the rallycross format and the European championship's growing profile was very tempting for drivers.

"I'm really excited about the European rallycross championship and hopefully sometime I can get a drive, as long as it's in a Citroen!" said Hirvonen.

"For a driver the cars are amazing, they are so powerful.

"It's always different when it's head to head and there are five or six guys on the startline. It's very intense."

The Finnish driver has been involved in the development of the cross kart he was demonstrating at Kouvola. The concept will be used alongside rallycross, at rallysprints and at hillclimbs, all year round.