Mikko in 09 was like Massa in 08, a very good driver that on his day could compete with the best and had one great title challenge that deserves respect.
I'd argue that if Loeb didn't had issues during the mid-season rallies (Sardinia, Acropolis and Poland), he would've won the title before the final round anyway - he and the C4 WRC were bloody good and IMO Sordo was far better 'wingman' than Latvala was for Ford. But IMO the real star of the 2009 season was Petter Solberg, who was in a 2006-spec Xsara WRC and proved that you don't need the latest spec car to be competitive. Lord knows how many points he would've got if he had the C4 WRC or Focus WRC (his brother Henning got some podiums in the 2008-spec Focus).
I remember this season well. I was only 9 at the time and happen to be standing at that jump in wales. Everyone was a bit surprised by how he landed. We didn't know until we got back home that day the result of it. Such a shame, Hirvonen was my favourite driver too :(
Monte chose not to be in the WRC for those 3 years, as they had live coverage on Eurosport in the IRC......(Hirvonen actually won in 2010 in the new Fiesta S2000).
He probably thought it was more honorable (I think there's an interview where he said he wouldn't wanna win the title based on Latvala sacrificing a win, which is STUPID) but Malcolm should've used his head and inverted them anyway. In a weird way, the events of Poland and Italy are what cost Mikko the title. But man, I think his '11 loss is literally the worst "What If " in his career because if not for that tree stump, he would've won (had the chain of events regarding Loeb played out)
@UyandaMaboea-dv3qc I remember watching the Poland rally. It was awkward seeing Malcolm so miffed even though they technically won. If he won in 2011, that would have been the funniest way to win a title. There would have probably been conspiracies that Malcolm paid the bloke in the Skoda (I think it was a Skoda) to crash into Loeb.
@mancantswim66191 🤣🤣 I know that in sports the idea of "deserving" a title isn't always relevant but although Mikko missed the EASIEST opportunity in his career to win a title, he wouldn't have deserved it because he wasn't consistently on the pace. If anything, I always look at that year as Ogier bottling the title (granted, he was inexperienced and had to deal with French politics and Loeb playing mind games). Cos had he finished Mexico, won Argentina or just finished on the podium and won Australia (especially since Loeb crashed), he would've been within touching distance of the crown
@UyandaMaboea-dv3qc Yes, I agree Ogier was more competitive than Hirvonen that year. Hot take, but if Citroen let Ogier stay and give him an equal chance, he would have been able to topple Loeb. It would have never happened because after Rally Deutschland, it got way too heated. Put it this way, Ogier or Lieb would have never in a million years did what Hirvonen did for Latvala in Sardegna.
@mancantswim66191 You need to be selfish enough to demolish your competition, including your teammate. Doesn't mean y'all need to beef and I actually think it was a good call from the Citroën TP to grant both drivers equal status (he did have the best lineup) but Guy Frequelin was too much of an interference. I still think that we didn't need funny business like what happened in Greece (where Loeb, for some strange reason, was unable to see Ogier's times) or Germany because it just causes confusion and unnecessary tension but that's the price to be paid for having alpha male drivers. I don't think the team was prepared to handle that problem for a season but losing Ogier kinda screwed them for the future (although, imagine if in an alternate universe it was Loeb who joined VW, that would've been a battle for the ages)
Mikko in 09 was like Massa in 08, a very good driver that on his day could compete with the best and had one great title challenge that deserves respect.
Couldnt agree more
@@bernardoberner4Hirvonen is basically Massa 2.1 version.
Incredible comparison (I hope that doesn't come across as sarcastic)
I'd argue that if Loeb didn't had issues during the mid-season rallies (Sardinia, Acropolis and Poland), he would've won the title before the final round anyway - he and the C4 WRC were bloody good and IMO Sordo was far better 'wingman' than Latvala was for Ford. But IMO the real star of the 2009 season was Petter Solberg, who was in a 2006-spec Xsara WRC and proved that you don't need the latest spec car to be competitive. Lord knows how many points he would've got if he had the C4 WRC or Focus WRC (his brother Henning got some podiums in the 2008-spec Focus).
I remember this season well. I was only 9 at the time and happen to be standing at that jump in wales. Everyone was a bit surprised by how he landed. We didn't know until we got back home that day the result of it. Such a shame, Hirvonen was my favourite driver too :(
Maybe you could turn your section at the end of the video into a spinoff series "where they lost the title" it would intrigue people.
....Please!!! Please don't reminds me of this it still hurts after 15+ years!!! 😭😭😭
Even Lanzhu Zhong still remembered the memory of Hirvonen's 2009 WRC Title near miss.
Around about the end of another golden period in rally. These periods come & go, bit like F1. Thanks JW. 🇦🇺
Hirvonen, much like Gronholm, should've been stayed in WRC till at least 2016.
Those were the days of wrc I so miss
13:45 There's a van, off the road, in a tree. Is this an easter egg JW? I went back to check & yep, it's a van in a tree. 😂
Can you make a video about BMW's WSBK Effort
Monte chose not to be in the WRC for those 3 years, as they had live coverage on Eurosport in the IRC......(Hirvonen actually won in 2010 in the new Fiesta S2000).
Hirvonen should've been 3 time WRC champion as of 2025.
Mikko should have won in 2009 season and 2011 season
very nice vid, it should have ended in the 15th minute though
had Mikko been selfish and taking the win from Jarri he would have the title by a point
Why did Mikko not want Ford to invert the cars? Wouldn't he have gotten more points that way?
He probably thought it was more honorable (I think there's an interview where he said he wouldn't wanna win the title based on Latvala sacrificing a win, which is STUPID) but Malcolm should've used his head and inverted them anyway. In a weird way, the events of Poland and Italy are what cost Mikko the title. But man, I think his '11 loss is literally the worst "What If " in his career because if not for that tree stump, he would've won (had the chain of events regarding Loeb played out)
@UyandaMaboea-dv3qc I remember watching the Poland rally. It was awkward seeing Malcolm so miffed even though they technically won.
If he won in 2011, that would have been the funniest way to win a title. There would have probably been conspiracies that Malcolm paid the bloke in the Skoda (I think it was a Skoda) to crash into Loeb.
@mancantswim66191 🤣🤣 I know that in sports the idea of "deserving" a title isn't always relevant but although Mikko missed the EASIEST opportunity in his career to win a title, he wouldn't have deserved it because he wasn't consistently on the pace. If anything, I always look at that year as Ogier bottling the title (granted, he was inexperienced and had to deal with French politics and Loeb playing mind games). Cos had he finished Mexico, won Argentina or just finished on the podium and won Australia (especially since Loeb crashed), he would've been within touching distance of the crown
@UyandaMaboea-dv3qc Yes, I agree Ogier was more competitive than Hirvonen that year. Hot take, but if Citroen let Ogier stay and give him an equal chance, he would have been able to topple Loeb. It would have never happened because after Rally Deutschland, it got way too heated. Put it this way, Ogier or Lieb would have never in a million years did what Hirvonen did for Latvala in Sardegna.
@mancantswim66191 You need to be selfish enough to demolish your competition, including your teammate. Doesn't mean y'all need to beef and I actually think it was a good call from the Citroën TP to grant both drivers equal status (he did have the best lineup) but Guy Frequelin was too much of an interference. I still think that we didn't need funny business like what happened in Greece (where Loeb, for some strange reason, was unable to see Ogier's times) or Germany because it just causes confusion and unnecessary tension but that's the price to be paid for having alpha male drivers. I don't think the team was prepared to handle that problem for a season but losing Ogier kinda screwed them for the future (although, imagine if in an alternate universe it was Loeb who joined VW, that would've been a battle for the ages)