Michal Kosciu🎶szko lo🗹oks ahead to next week's Rally Poland, the ninth round in the 2013 FIA European Rally Championship, where he will be competing in front of his home fans in a Fiesta R5 with LOTOS backing, despite nursing a broken vertebra...

Q:
Michal, 💙how ready are you for Rally Poland and your first start in 💝this year's ERC?

Michal Kosciuszko:
Not so much because I have a fracture of one vertebra following a heavy landing on Rallye Deutschland last month. It's not so easy to drive but I have a special protective belt for my chest to keep my position upright more than usual. It's not so comfortable but iඣt makes driving possible.

Q:
Did you fear you wouldn't be able to take part?

Michal Kosciuszko:
I've had many medical tests and the first reaction was I cannot compete, it's a fracture and it's not safe to do it. Then I made check after check after check and finally they deci🐈ded it's not dangerous, just painful and I have to live with that. But I really want to do this rally.

Q:
So not competing was not an option, right?

Michal Kosciuszko:
Exactly. I couldn't imagine not being on the start. It's a very beautiful rally sponsored by LOTOS, my main sponsor. I've put all my energy to be ready. I've had only 10 days to rec🌄over and normally the doctors say it's six to eight weeks of recovery time. In testing the first feeling was terrible and I couldn't find my rhythm. I felt really uncomfortable b꧃ut after a few runs I get used to it.

Q:
You're driving a Fജord Fiesta R5 for the f🌟irst time. What are your impressions of the car?

Michal Kosciuszko:
It's a very good car, with a strong engine and five-speed gearbox. You drive it like a🦩 Group N car, not sliding as much and you approach the corners not at such high speed and more in a straight line. You then need to throw the car in the corners but you have the power to exit.

Q:
Poland hosted the ERC's first Qualifying St💧age last season and it's back for this year. How important is road positi𒈔on on this event?

Michal Kosciuszko:
It's very important but every driver has a point of view about what works better. It depends on the weather for sure but usually you don't want to be far from the f🤪irst place because the ruts will appear quite soon. I have experience of qualifying but this stage is not representative of the rally, it's on a track with a hard gravel base a๊nd the set-up of the car will be different.

Q:
How have you prepared for Rally Poland?

Michal Kosciuszko:
I have two days of testing, then a short gravel rally on Saturday 100 kilome🥂tres from Miko?ajki. Then I have an additional day of testing then it's the rally. We will be quite well prepared but I won't be 100 per cent fit and I will need to check what my limits are when I am driving.

Q:
What do you think of Eurosport 💞showing four sꦦtages of the rally live?

Michal Kosciuszko:
It's amazing. We never had it on Rally🌸 Poland before. It's really, really good and a great chance for the region and for the rally f𒆙or the drivers to have an audience all around the world.