While driving behind the wheel of the Škoda UK Motorsport Fabia S2000 on March 5 and March 6, Andreas Mikkelsen and co-driver Ola Fløene finished a regional rally in Corsica with a victory on the Ronde De La Giraglia. The Corsica rally took place during the 12-week gap between Rallye Monte Carlo and Round 2 of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, the Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Ingles, which is slated for April 14 to April 16, 2011. The Bastia-based event, with 10 stages in the northern-most Cap Corse area of the island, was a perfect test for Andreas and the team.
With two stages repeated three times last March 5 (the final loop in darkness) and two stages tackled twice last March 6, there was a combination of road conditions to test on: ranging from smooth and very fast asphalt to bumpy, twisty and abrasive roads. Heavy rains the night before the event placed rocks and stones onto the mountain roads, making conditions even more difficult in several places.
Andreas started conservatively and then increased his speed, while the team experimented with various spring and damper settings and engine mapping settings throughout the event. The March 5 opening leg started midday. Early morning rain on March 6 rendered parts of the stages slippery, especially under tree cover. However, after using intermediate tires for the first loop, Andreas was once again able to tackle slicks for the remaining runs.
