Despite all these challenges, and the lack of experience that is inevitable at just 24 years of age, Max’s firm aim is to bid for the overall title this year, which carries the prestigious prize of a full 2016 season in a Ford Fiesta R5.

The Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy pits 11 talented young drivers against each other over five European rounds of the World Rally Championship, starting with the all-gravel Rally de Portugal this week. Max took part in the event last year but that experience counts for practically nothing, as this year there is a brand new route on flowing gravel roads to the north of the country.

’Brand new’ is all very relative in rallying terms of course: many of the stages – such as the legendary Fafe – were used back in the 1990s and 1980s, when Max’s famous father was still driving. ”I’ve heard all of the epic stories from Dad about what the Portugal Rally used to be like in the Porto area, and all the fans who came out to see it,” said Max. ”That’s why it’s an incredible privilege to be driving on those stages as part of the world championship again. I’m absolutely delighted that we have the chance to compete on the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy for a second year. My aim is to build on the valuable experience I gained last year, and to challenge for wins and the championship.”

Alongside Max on the series this year will be experienced French co-driver Jacques-Julien Renucci – a recent winner of the Tour de Corse – who has already co-driven for Max on a number of events outside the Fiesta Trophy. For this year’s championship assault, Max’s pace notes will be entirely in French. However, Max has lived in the south of France from a young age, so the language of Sebastien Loeb isn’t a problem for him.

”It took a little bit of time for me to get used to it at first, but now it’s coming together very well,” adds Max, who normally speaks his native Finnish at home. ”Jacques-Julien’s experience is a real asset and it will help me gain the consistency that is my main target for this year. I am reasonably happy with our speed, but we just need to show it in a more level way.”

To prepare for the opening Portuguese round of the championship, Max took part in the Serras de Fafe Rally in March, winning his class with an older R2-specification Fiesta.

”The new car is actually quite different to that one: it’s just incredible how much torque and power is possible with a one-litre engine,” concludes Max. ”M-Sport has done an absolutely fantastic job in building it. But it was still very useful to contest the Fafe event, and I think I have some idea what to expect now.”

Rally de Portugal gets underway with a ceremonial start in Guimaraes and a superspecial at the Lousada rallysprint circuit on Thursday night. It finishes at the Exponor show grounds close to Porto on Sunday lunchtime, after 16 special stages and 352 competitive kilometres. Mixed weather is always a possibility in northern Portugal at this time of year – so Max and Jacques-Julien will have to be ready for anything!