Makinen sends a warning to Gronholm
Tommi Makinen has warned fellow countryman Marcus Gronholm not to assume this year's World Rally Championship is a foregone conclusion
Gronholm only needs to place fifth, regardless of where title rival Richard Burns finishes, to take the crown in his first full season of WRC competition. But Makinen, who won the 1997 crown in similar circumstances on Rally GB when battling against Colin McRae, knows that it won't be easy.
"Marcus is not guaranteed the title," he told Autosport. "It's certainly much easier for him now after Australia, but Britain is such a difficult rally to finish, so I'm sure there's still a lot of pressure. For everybody, it's a question of going flat-out, making no mistakes and hoping there are no technical failures. That is the only way to win this rally."
Makinen, who is looking to end a dismal season with a win for Mitsubishi, recognises that British duo Burns and McRae are hard to beat on their home turf.
"To win this weekend you must go flat-out all the time against the local heroes Richard and Colin," he said. "They are very, very fast as always here. For me, there is no pressure here. It means I can go flat-out to try and win the rally this weekend. It will be difficult to beat Richard, but I will certainly try."
The four-times world champion has said his disqualification from victory in Rally Australia for a turbocharger infringement a fortnight ago has not affected him.
"What happened in Australia wasn't so upsetting for me because we weren't fighting for a championship. What was more important was the feeling of winning and being at the front. All the work we have done with our rear suspension has made a big, big difference."
Burns attacks use of 'expert' drivers
McRae will make Burns work for it
Third-generation McRae eyeing Junior WRC graduation for 2023
Third generation driver Max McRae is working hard towards stepping up to the Junior class of the World Rally Championship next season, following a test in a JWRC car.
Ex-F1 racer Kovalainen plans Japan WRC entry, eyes European outings
Ex-Formula 1 racer Heikki Kovalainen is pressing ahead with preparations for a one-off WRC outing in Japan in November and plans to contest more events in Europe in the near-future.
Hyundai cautiously optimistic after shock Finland WRC win
An unexpected victory in Finland has left Hyundai Motorsport cautiously optimistic it has turned a corner after a difficult start to the World Rally Championship's new hybrid era.
Rally legend Kankkunen to drive hydrogen-powered Toyota at WRC Ypres Rally
Four-time World Rally Championship title-winner Juha Kankkunen will drive a hydrogen-powered Toyota GR Yaris in stages at next week’s WRC Ypres Rally.
How Rovanpera has reignited Finland's rallying obsession
Finland may have a small population, but it has long enjoyed rallying success. Now that the nation has a new star to cheer in the form of Kalle Rovanpera, interest in the discipline is surging once again
How Tanak spoiled Rovanpera’s Finnish homecoming
Kalle Rovanpera and Toyota went into Rally Finland as overwhelming favourites but came away as runners-up to a resurgent Ott Tanak and Hyundai. While it may have dampened the homecoming party, it still moved the Finn closer to the ultimate World Rally Championship prize
Inside Hyundai’s F1-spec mobile WRC home
Hyundai is one of the World Rally Championship's big three, and has a brand-new travelling facility befitting of that status. The team invited Autosport for a behind-the-scenes look at its state-of-the-art HQ, which comes complete with all the bells and whistles you'd expect of a top Formula 1 outfit
How Rovanpera's latest Estonia masterclass left his WRC rivals stumped
After trailing Toyota team-mate Elfyn Evans for much of Rally Estonia's opening day, WRC points leader Kalle Rovanpera took advantage of a change in the weather and never looked back afterwards. Winning for a fifth time this year at the scene of his 2021 breakthrough, and with a breathtaking powerstage bonus for good measure, his advantage is already looking difficult to topple
How the WRC captures its stunning visuals
Whether it’s the mountains of Monte Carlo, the snow of Sweden or the Kenya Savannah, the World Rally Championship is able to beam some of motorsport’s most spectacular footage to television screens while operating in the harshest of environments. Autosport went behind the scenes to unearth the secrets that make this logistical challenge possible
Why WRC's Safari tour is more than just a rally
OPINION: A source of national pride in Kenya, the Safari Rally is also a sporting, cultural and economic phenomenon. And as last weekend's World Rally Championship round reminded us, it's a key driver in establishing Africa’s place in world motorsport
How Rovanpera tamed a wild Safari Rally
The Safari Rally acted as a brutal test of driver and car resolve as multiple retirements opened the path for a historic Toyota 1-2-3-4 triumph, headed by star Kalle Rovanpera. But keeping things clean was only half of the challenge, as a well-timed charge when conditions worsened allowed the Finn to take control
How Tanak turned the tables to deliver Hyundai a timely WRC triumph
The 2019 champion has been a bit-part player recently, but Ott Tanak ended a 15-month drought in fine style with a dominant win in Sardinia. On a weekend when championship leader Kalle Rovanpera struggled with cleaning the road, his Hyundai rival has made his belated arrival into the title race and given cause for those predicting a walkover from the Toyota star to pause