BP-Ford World Rally Team’s flying Finns dominated today’s opening leg of Rally Finland to hold first and second positions with the new Focus RS World Rally Car. Marcus Grönholm and Timo Rautiainen and team-mates Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen enjoyed a thrilling daylong battle which captivated the tens of thousands of fans who flocked into the forests near Jyväskylä to cheer on their fellow countrymen. Grönholm ended the leg with a 4.4sec advantage over Hirvonen.
A record 11 Focus RS World Rally Cars started this ninth round of the FIA World Rally Championship, the first following a two-month summer break. It is the largest number of WRCs from a single manufacturer ever seen on a championship round. After last night’s super special stage at Killeri trotting track on the edge of the host town of Jyväskylä, the action switched to the spectacular forest roads west of the city this morning where the BP-Ford drivers quickly took control.
Grönholm won eight of the leg’s 11 speed tests but that stark fact gives a false impression of the day. Hirvonen harried his colleague throughout the leg, held in overcast but dry conditions, as the BP-Ford duo took the top two times on seven of the 11 stages. The margin between the two Focus RS cars was frequently measured in tenths of a second and after 133.49km of competition, a gap of less than five seconds shows just how hard the duo were battling.
The 39-year-old leader of the drivers’ championship led briefly during the first group of stages this morning before Hirvonen fought back to hold the advantage by just 0.1sec after four stages. Grönholm retook the initiative this afternoon and eked out a slender lead on the blisteringly fast gravel roads and roller-coaster jumps during which average speeds topped 132kph.
“It was incredibly fast and there were no huge time gaps, ” said Grönholm. “I knew it would be difficult to lead today when I was first on the road and that proved the case. I was expecting a close battle with Mikko. He has driven well and I thought he might be in front tonight but I managed to hold him off. When it’s as tight as this every stage is important and it’s vital to have a good feeling from the recce.
“The first stage this morning was slippery and I made a few small changes to the shock absorbers after the test. My tyre choice was good throughout, especially this afternoon when a harder compound with full cuts made a difference. We’ve made a step forward with the new car and Loeb is having to push hard. The gap between us is almost double what it was after the first day last year, ” he added.
Hirvonen won two stages and posted six second fastest times and the 27-year-old was relishing the chance to battle with his more senior colleague. “I’ve enjoyed every minute of the day and it’s an absolutely fantastic fight. Our split times have been virtually identical. It will be a great weekend if it continues like this for three days. My target has always been to win here and I wanted to lead tonight because Marcus knows tomorrow’s stages well.
“The new Focus RS feels easier to drive and I had a good feeling with it. The biggest thing I noticed is the improved grip and handling over crests. I’m feeling increasingly confident with it and looking forward to continuing the battle in the morning, ” he added.
Newcomers Khalid Al Qassimi and Nicky Beech lie 25th after their debut day in a WRC. The Team Abu Dhabi driver concentrated on gaining as much experience as possible. “I started cautiously to learn the rally, the stages and the way the car behaves without making mistakes. I had one moment early in the day when I stalled the engine at a hairpin and lost a little time but nothing too serious. These are wonderful stages, very technical and fast with lots of corners following crests or jumps, so I am balancing speed against developing my pace notes, ” said 35-year-old Al Qassimi.
