Mikkelsen pondering WRC2 title bid with Skoda
ByAutoSport
Published 03/03/2017 at 17:18 GMT
Andreas Mikkelsen would consider a full WRC2 campaign if Skoda Motorsport wants him to fight for the World Rally Championship's second-tier title.
Eurosport
Image credit: Eurosport
The Norwegian, a runaway winner of round one in Monte Carlo, will be back in a Fabia R5 for the next European round of the series in Corsica next month.
Mikkelsen denied his second appearance meant he had now decided on a 2017 WRC2 programme with Skoda.
"I'm doing Corsica because Skoda asked me to," last year's Rally Australia winner told Autosport.
"The Monte Carlo Rally is a classic and they wanted to win that and it's the same with Corsica and that's what I'm going to try to do."
But with opportunities to compete in a 2017-specification World Rally Car now limited, Mikkelsen said he was open to suggestions from Skoda.
"I'm happy to drive," said Mikkelsen, who was left on the sidelines when Volkswagen pulled out of the WRC at the end of 2016.
"I want to drive as much as I can, it's going to help keep me warm for next season.
"At the moment, Corsica is the only event we have planned with Skoda, but if they wanted me to do WRC2 then why not?
"Like I said, I want the competitive time this year."
Mikkelsen has competed on the French island six times already - finishing third in 2015 and '16 - but still feels more experience of the Tour of Corsica will be helpful.
"When we have only a few stages on the itinerary, it's so important to be driving them competitively," he said.
"It's not just about knowing the roads and learning the stages, it's about knowing when to be changing tyres between these stages, things like that.
"And this year Corsica is running at a different time of the season to the last couple of years, so there's more to learn for us there."
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