“My day on the Rally of Portugal was not really a typical one, as I don’t get to so many events these days. I came out before the rally to help Ken Block with some testing and then I thought I would stay on – as I might be able to pass on some advice to Ott Tanak, who I’m helping out. Ott is a guy I believe in, and obviously it’s not just me as he was selected to be one of the Pirelli Star Drivers this year.
I actually went to do some spectating, having done a recce of the stage a couple of days ago in my hire car – a Volkswagen Golf – to find somewhere decent to watch. It was only when I got there that I found out Ott was running towards the end of the field and I had to wait for what felt like hours. So I’ve said to myself that I’m not going watching again until Ott gets one of the top factory seats, so I don’t have to wait as long!
I actually hate spectating anyway, as I would much rather be driving. Not that this necessarily means I’m looking for another drive – although people keep on asking me about that! I’ve said before that I’m not, so maybe one day people will stop asking…
The truth is that it’s difficult to describe my day in Portugal as I’m really not up to much here. But there are still one or two things I can help Ott with.
It’s tough for the Star Drivers because they’ve got one year to show what they can do, then that’s it. But as always in this sport it’s about taking every opportunity that comes your way. That was why I was particularly disappointed when Ott crashed out of the Group N lead in Turkey: it was the very worse thing he could have done – particularly when he was running an amazing eighth overall. In fact, it was a completely stupid accident because it only happened out of a miscommunication between driver and co-driver. I didn’t give either of them a bollocking though as I think they were disappointed enough in themselves.
I’m staying in Vilamoura, which is a tourist place about half an hour from Faro. Around the marina there are a few nice restaurants, so that’s how my day in Portugal ends. Actually I only really go to one of them – an Italian place at the end of the harbour that does pizzas and other stuff. When you find something good, it’s worth sticking to…”
