Mikkelsen ultimately finished sixth in Poland but fought for a long time for the rally win and top positions. Eventually, a puncture on the final day thwarted those chances.
Mikkelsen now hopes he can drive more gravel rallies with Hyundai. He has always been stronger on gravel than on tarmac.
This season, Mikkelsen is driving some of the events in Hyundai’s third car. Hyundai’s plan has been to mainly have him compete in tarmac rallies. This decision has raised eyebrows, as Mikkelsen is not specifically known as an asphalt rally specialist.
This became clear at the start of the season in Monte Carlo and later in the spring in Croatia. The Norwegian’s performances were not good, raising doubts about whether he can adapt to the current Rally1 car’s demands.
Poland sent a different message. Mikkelsen was able to set front-running times in the fast gravel rally.
“This was one of the rallies that I asked for this year, so it’s nice to show that we can compete at the very front,” Mikkelsen told DirtFish.
“It was important for myself, for my confidence, everything, to know that on gravel, on the car, I really gelled quickly with the car. I had a good feeling that we could fight.”
Next, the season continues with two gravel rallies in Latvia and Finland. In these rallies, the third Hyundai car will be driven by Finn Esapekka Lappi, but Mikkelsen is also eager for more gravel events.
The Norwegian has already set his sights on autumn and the Acropolis Rally in Greece.
“Let’s say that’s one of the rallies that I really enjoy and I really love, and we always had good results there,” he said.
“So, yeah, I hope that we can have a chance to do Greece. I would love that.”
Mikkelsen’s season has so far been difficult, but he believes he can also perform well on tarmac.
“I do believe I can drive fast on tarmac as well. I won Rally Spain, and that’s proper tarmac. But yeah, gravel comes a bit more natural. I have to be very, very confident in the car on tarmac to have the feeling to really attack. And so far, I haven’t had that in the Hyundai. On gravel, it came very directly on the test already, so that came very naturally.”
