Rally: world champion on board – Östberg wants victory at the Hungarian Rally Championship

– One of the biggest surprises is that you compete in the Hungarian Rally Championship this season. How did you end up here?
– I ended up here by accident, actually, told Nemzeti Sport Mads Östberg, WRC2 defending champion, Citroën Rally Team Hungary's driver. – I've been to Hungary once, but didn't compete here, just participated in a test drive which I enjoyed very much. The idea came from Tamás Tagai and team leader György Balkányi, and I liked it immediately because I'm a rally driver and I take every opportunity to get in a rally car. It's an additional challenge that I don't know the Hungarian rally courses at all.

– Not even Rally Hungary's courses? The test which you traveled here for was before the Hungarian round of the European Championship.
– You're right. I checked out some of those courses, and I cannot wait to rally on them because I liked them.

– Is the goal a victory?
– I'll have the necessary humility for the challenge because not only did I check out the courses, but I also saw the many great competitors in the Hungarian field. However, it's a fact that I'm competing to try to win. I'm expecting a big battle, because I have looked up that the Hungarian Championship has been very fierce in recent years. The courses are in favor of the Hungarian top racers whereas probably the international experience and the many kilometers in my hands and legs are in my favor.

– Can you say a few things words about the car? Is Citroën C3 Rally2 suitable for victory?
– If it was suitable for the World Championship, then it shouldn't be an issue at the Hungarian Championship either. Of course, we need to build our strategy step by step using previous experiences that we've gathered. One thing for sure is that I'll do everything I can to prove that Citroën is one of the best racing cars in the Hungarian field as well.

– Will you have a longer test session before the Championship starts?
– We planned a test before the season opening, and I know it's not the most thorough preparation, but that's how we were able to put the program together. After the Salgó Rallye, however, I'll have the opportunity to get to know the Hungarian locations and courses.

– A brand new competition event will debut at the World Championship this weekend. Will you be in Finland where the rally takes place on snow?
– I will be there but won't compete. I'm helping Tamás Tagai to ease team member Michal Solowow's job by giving him my best advice possible.

– Who would you guess as the race winner?
– On snowy courses, northern drivers tend to be very fast, especially the Finnish, so they have a good change. At the same time, if I had to bet, I'd put my money on Ott Tänakra.

Translated by Vanda Orosz