This weekend, the fourth round of the Junior FIA ERC will be decided in the Italian capital, Rome. After three rallies on gravel, Mille Johansson is now back on tarmac in the European heat.
– The feeling is good ahead of this weekend’s rally in Rome. We got a good feeling in the test before the race, and have a much higher pace now than we had in the rally we ran outside Pisa last week. I feel good in the car, says Mille.
Mille together with his co-driver Johan Grönvall had their best event yet in this year’s Junior ERC when they finished fifth at home in Värmland and Sweden three weeks ago. Now awaits the year’s first rally on asphalt, a surface Mille has driven on much last year.
– It’s an adjustment to be back on tarmac, where you now have to think about driving smart as it’s so hot, so that the brakes and tires last the whole distance. We feel that last year in the Slovenian Championship on tarmac has had a big impact on where we are in terms of pace this year, continues Mille.
Warm weather awaits during the weekend, with temperatures up to 35 degrees.
– The tough part will be keeping the tires and brakes alive on the long stages, with the high heat that is here. It will also be tough for me and Johan in the car with the heat, but we are preparing as much as we can.
– We aim to take the car to the finish line, as this is one of the toughest rallies of the year, where we know mistakes can happen, concludes Mille.
The Rally di Roma Capitale starts on Friday 28 July with a stage in central Rome, near the Colosseum. After that, twelve stages await on Saturday and Sunday.
Mille and Johan compete in the Junior ERC for the Slovenian team IKsport in a two-wheel drive Ford Fiesta. In the class, there are a total of 13 cars in this weekend’s rally.