Q&A: Atkinson on WRC return with Ken Block
Chris Atkinson having a blast with Ken Block - and now they'll be teammates in Mexico!
Chris Atkinson will return to the World Rally Championship, driving for Ken Block’s WRC team at Rally Mexico.
Speedcafe.com spoke to Atkinson soon after confirmation of his Mexico chance.
SPEEDCAFE: Chris, it must feel great to be back in the WRC
CHRIS ATKINSON: Yeah I can’t wait to jump behind the wheel of a World Rally Car in Mexico next month. It’s been a while since I’ve driven the WRC spec car but there’s no better feeling than driving one of these things flat out through a gravel stage. The Fiesta RS is a proven winner and the guys at M-Sport are the best in the business and I can’t wait to work alongside them in Mexico next month.
SPEEDCAFE: And teaming up with the Monster World Rally Team and superstar Ken Block is a pretty cool way to step back into the Championship.
CHRIS ATKINSON: Ken and I have been friends for a while now and always talked about how cool it would be creating a two car team. He’s a massive sensation in Australia and the rest of the world for that matter, so to be aligned with him and the Monster World Rally Team is a really big thing. We’ve [Atkinson and co-driver Stephane Prevot] been doing Ken’s gravel notes for the past couple of seasons and I really enjoy the way he operates. He’s a mad dude who’s got great driving skill and enjoys what he’s doing!
SPEEDCAFE: It has been a while since you’ve driven a WRC car, how are you going to get up to speed and on the pace from the word go in Mexico?
CHRIS ATKINSON: I’ve been really fortunate this week. Malcolm [Wilson, M-Sport Managing Director] put me in the car for nearly 400 kilometres of testing at M-Sport’s test stage in England’s north west. Without this, I would have struggled on the first few stages to get up to speed with everything but now I will head to Mexico with a lot more confidence. I’m really appreciative of this testing opportunity and I can’t thank Malcolm and the M-Sport team enough. The car was amazing and I can’t wait to drive it under competitive conditions.
SPEEDCAFE: You’ve tasted success in Mexico before, scoring your best ever result of 2nd in 2008. Can we see Chris Atkinson go one better in 2012?
CHRIS ATKINSON: I’ll be doing everything I can! Obviously it has been a while since I’ve competed in the WRC and there are some quick new guys who are really spicing the championship up now. It’s different in Mexico because of the lack of power which in a way will help me because the speed will be a lot closer to what the car produced which I drove in last year’s Asia Pacific Rally Championship. Mexico has some amazing roads and amazing people. I remember standing on the start ramp and looking out to a sea of 100,000 plus people all cheering on all the drivers. I’m going to give it everything I’ve got in Mexico.
SPEEDCAFE: Finally, there seems to be a steady influx of manufacturers back into the WRC. This much be promising for your future aspirations?
CHRIS ATKINSON: Yeah its great to see these new manufacturers like MINI and Volkswagen back into the sport. Fortunately Rallying is a sport where you peak with experience. Look at Loeb, 8-time consecutive world champion at 37 and he’s not slowing down! I’m 32 and feel better than ever so of course these factory seats that open up over the next few years are my primary target and i’ll be doing everything I can to be a manufacturer driver once again.
Check out Ken Block having a bit of fun in a rear wheel drive Ford Escort at the Team ONeal School with fellow rally driver Chris Atkinson
