Andreas Mikkelsen (20) and co-driver Ola Fløene took a strong second place in the S2000 class in Rally Sweden, thereby making an impressive debut in the new Ford Fiesta S2000.

Only the favourite and former Junior World Rally Champion, Per-Gunnar Andersson, was faster than Andreas Mikkelsen in the S2000 class in Rally Sweden, but the Norwegian Ford driver gave Andersson a run for his money. Mikkelsen and Fløene maintained the highest speed in the class in several of the 21 special stages in the woods of Värmland.

”We didn’t get off to a good start on Friday morning and during the first stage we had trouble with the handbrake and all four wheels locked. We also had a puncture on the fourth special stage,” Andreas Mikkelsen says. This meant that he was trailing Andersson by one minute even before the first service stop on Friday. But after that everything it was full throttle for the Norwegian Ford and at the finish there was only 25.3 seconds between the two.

In the first half of Rally Sweden, Mikkelsen also had tough competition from the experienced Finnish driver Janne Tuohino. The two battled for second place behind Per-Gunnar Andersson all the way up until Saturday morning when Mikkelsen managed to take the lead over the Finn and at the finish there was more than 30 seconds between them.

”I don’t feel 2nd place is a disappointment. Apart from the problems we had early on Friday, everything else has gone like a dream,” Mikkelsen continued. He was selected by M-Sport Ford rally team to drive the new Ford Fiesta S2000 in the first World Rally Championship and Mikkelsen was impressed with the car.

”It was great. There was a lot more grip than I had expected and I felt that I was constantly taking the bends too cautiously. It will be fun to see how the car performs through the season.

Andreas Mikkelsen and Ola Fløene will join the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) and the first race in this series is on Sardinia in the first weekend of June. Mikkelsen and Fløene will then be driving on gravel. In addition to competing internationally, the pair will also join Group N in the Norwegian National Championship.

Results S20000, Rally Sweden
1.Per-Gunnar Andersson, Sweden, Skoda Fabia S2000, 3hours 21mins 39.3seconds
2. Andreas Mikkelsen, Norway, Ford Fiesta S2000, +25.3 seconds
3. Janne Tuohino, Finland, Ford Fiesta S2000, +57.3

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