BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team’s Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen finished second in Rally Australia today to preserve their lead in the FIA World Rally Championship with two rounds remaining. The BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team duo secured the runner-up spot by 4.6sec in a Focus RS World Rally Car after an exciting showdown through the final speed test to lead the drivers’ table by one point. Team-mates and long-time rally leaders Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila were fifth in another Focus RS WRC.
This 10th round of the 12-event series was based on the east coast in northern New South Wales for the first time after 19 years in Western Australia. The action was based in the countryside south-west of the rally base in Kingscliff, on a mix of narrow and twisty gravel tracks which ventured into the rainforest, contrasting with blisteringly fast, wide and smooth roads. Drivers tackled 33 special stages covering 322.06km, mostly in dry and hot conditions but with a few showers during the opening day.
As championship leader, Hirvonen was first in the start order on the opening leg, unwillingly sweeping the loose gravel from the surface to leave a cleaner and faster line for those behind. Despite the disadvantage, he minimised the time loss to lie fifth. He climbed the order during the second day, which amazingly ended with the top three drivers covered by just one tenth of a second.
However, the 29-year-old Finn was forced to undertake the role of road sweeper again today. He could not prevent Sébastien Loeb edging away to a 12.5sec victory, but his battle with Dani Sordo was thrilling. They traded places five times in 10 stages close to Kyogle, before Hirvonen entered the final 22.41km speed test with a 2.1sec advantage, which he protected to secure second.
What Mikko Hirvonen had to say:
“It was a tough weekend, but one hell of a fight for victory. I drove flat out from start to finish and the key factor in the final result was when I had to run first in the start order today. I felt trapped by that and if Loeb had been in that position rather than me, then the outcome could have been different. In the damp sections I matched his pace, but in the dry I couldn’t hold him. I wanted to outscore him here but the championship is still wide open with just two rounds remaining in Spain and Britain. Before going to Spain I will take some training on asphalt and then test out there to be properly prepared.
Latvala enjoyed the benefit of favourable road conditions to lead for virtually all the opening leg, before he had to sweep the gravel yesterday. He bravely held off his challengers for much of the day before finally ceding the lead. He then slipped to fourth after damaging his BP Ultimate branded Ford car’s right rear tyre when he slid into a bank and the impact pushed the tyre from the rim. In an identical incident this morning, 24-year-old Latvala dropped a further 50sec and the Finn had to settle for fifth.
What Jari-Matti Latvala had to say:
“I made a fantastic start on Friday but the rally turned round on me on Saturday afternoon and today,” he admitted. “Two mistakes that caused the tyre to come off the rim on each occasion cost me dearly, but who knows what may have happened without those errors? It didn’t work out in the end and I’m disappointed, but also happy that my speed was good enough to lead for half the rally. It was more difficult to drive first through the stages then I thought it would be. There seemed to be more loose gravel than I remembered from the recce.”
What BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson had to say:
“Three drivers started the final day split by just 0.1sec, and that ensured the outcome was kept alive right until the final stage. There was a lot of pressure on Mikko and he paid the price of being first in the start order, and enduring the worst of the conditions, for two of the three days. That was a crucial factor and under those circumstances second was a great result.”
Next round
The series returns to Europe next month for the penultimate round, and the second and final all-asphalt encounter of the season. Rally de España is based in Salou on 1 - 4 October.
Final positions - Repco Rally Australia
1. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 2hr 52min 54.0sec
2. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 2hr 53min 06.5sec
3. D Sordo/M Marti ESP Citroen C4 2hr 53min 11.1sec
4. S Ogier/J Ingrassia FRA Citroen C4 2hr 54min 29.8sec
5. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Focus RS 2hr 54min 58.5sec
6. M Wilson/S Martin GBR Ford Focus RS 2hr 58min 32.8sec
7. H Solberg/C Menkerud NOR Ford Focus RS 3hr 00min 24.3sec
8. F Villagra/J Perez Companc ARG Ford Focus RS 3hr 00min 45.9sec
9. H Paddon/J Kennard NZL Mitsubishi Lancer 3hr 08min 42.6sec
10 M Prokop/J Tomanek CZE Mitsubishi Lancer 3hr 08min 51.2sec
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