Škoda has been a huge part of the Andreas Mikkelsen story. Right back from when he won the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in a Fabia S2000, to the present day with a second WRC2 title in as many years with the latest Fabia RS Rally2.
Even when Mikkelsen was auditioning to become a Volkswagen driver he was doing so in a Škoda.
And when he lost that top-line drive through VW pulling out and his two team-mates, Sébastien Ogier and Jari-Matti Latvala, beating him to the vacant M-Sport and Toyota seats, Mikkelsen found refuge in Škoda.
Which propelled Mikkelsen onto a Hyundai drive, via a couple of events for Citroën, but which brand did he return to when that partnership ended?
Škoda.
Just like Thierry Neuville will always be associated with Hyundai, Sébastien Loeb is remembered as a Citroën driver and Tommi Mäkinen for his time at Mitsubishi, it feels as if Mikkelsen’s career will be retrospectively encapsulated by his relationship with Škoda.
And the Norwegian plans to keep it that way.
“I’ve been very honest with Škoda that our history goes a long way back, until 2011/12,” Mikkelsen said.
“When I lost my chance with Volkswagen, you know they stepped in, helped my career. When Hyundai went out, they stepped in and also this year.
“So as long I, let’s say, have some kind of offer or some kind of deal with them, I will never drive for any opposition of them.
“First priority in Rally2 will always be Škoda.”
Mikkelsen does of course want to move up to Rally1 if he can, but he’d be more than happy to stay driving Fabias in WRC2 as well.
“For sure that’s our ultimate aim is to be back with the big boys [in Rally1],” he told DirtFish.
“I’ve been fighting like crazy to be back in Rally1, that was everything that matters but I feel as well that if it doesn’t happen, it’s not the end of the world. Life will still go on and you will still enjoy.
“I’m still enjoying my time with Škoda and with our history together, it’s nice to give them another championship.
“We’ll have some strong opposition from Toyota next year I’m sure, with their Rally2 car, so yeah it’s nice.
“Maybe it also creates, let’s say, some kind of a driver market in Rally2 as well. So we hope for that.”
