Subaru picks Hirvonen
Mikko Hirvonen will replace Richard Burns in Subaru's 2004 World Rally Championship campaign. The young Finn will partner Petter Solberg in the Prodrive team's Impreza
This follows Friday's news that Colin McRae would not be returning to his old team to replace Burns, who is recovering from a brain tumour. Subaru have rather opted to go with youth - Hirvonen is just 23.
The deal is Hirvonen's second full-time works seat in the WRC. He drove a third car for the Ford factory this season, scoring a best result of sixth on the Acropolis.
"This is such a fantastic opportunity for me," said Hirvonen. "There's so much that I want to achieve as a driver in the WRC and I know that Subaru is the team to help me do that. I can't wait to get in the car and get going."
The signing reverses a trend towards an unusually low number of Finns in the World Championship. Marcus Grönholm was the highest-placed Finnish driver in 2003, but only finished sixth. Until now, Grönholm was going to be the only top-line contender from rallying's spiritual home next year.
"We're very excited to have signed Mikko," said Subaru team principal David Lapworth. "He's a very talented young driver and we have the resources to provide him with the best car and team to help him develop his full potential."
Both Solberg and Hirvonen will begin the year with the 2003-spec Impreza, but the team says the Impreza WRC2004 should make its debut on the season's third round in Mexico.
Neuville: Everything must be “on point” for Ypres WRC victory repeat
Rally Belgium favourite Thierry Neuville admits everything will need to be “on point” to be competitive when the World Rally Championship heads to his home event in Ypres this weekend.
WRC Rally Belgium: Everything you need to know
The World Rally Championship heads to the asphalt roads of Ypres Rally Belgium this weekend, with Toyota’s Kalle Rovanpera facing a slim prospect of wrapping up the title.
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.
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