Rally Frankrijk 12-14 oktober 2007

De eindstand.

Grönholm's second place in Corsica keeps BP-Ford in top spot.

Marcus Grönholm and Timo Rautiainen finished second on Rallye de France in Corsica today to ensure BP-Ford World Rally Team preserved its lead of both the manufacturers' and drivers' standings in the FIA World Rally Championship. It was the 11th podium from 13 rounds for the Finns in a Ford Focus RS World Rally Car. Team-mates Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen staged a superb fightback after a first day crash to claim the final manufacturers' point in another Focus RS.

BP-Ford leads the manufacturers' championship by 32 points in its quest for a second consecutive title. Grönholm tops the drivers' standings by four points with just three rounds remaining in Japan, Ireland and Great Britain. Hirvonen remains third in the drivers' table.

The Ajaccio-based event is regarded as the definitive asphalt round of the series and is characterised by twisty narrow roads high in the mountains of the Mediterranean island's west coast. Drivers tackled three days of flat out competition covering 15 speed tests and 344.22km, virtually all in glorious sunshine which ensured tyre selection was never the difficult challenge it so often is here.

Grönholm led during the first leg before arch title rival Sébastien Loeb moved ahead and stretched his advantage on the second day. The 39-year-old Finn started today's final four special stages 27.5sec behind Loeb, content to set a fast but safe pace to settle for second and a solid haul of championship points.

"I could not win so second was the next best result," said Grönholm. "I only conceded two points to Loeb on what is one of his strongest events of the season and I still lead the championship after two consecutive weekends on asphalt, which is my least favourite surface. I really had to drive quite hard today because Dani Sordo was pushing behind us and I couldn't afford to let him get near. On the first day I was really close to Seb but I couldn't match him on Saturday, although I feel my asphalt driving is more consistent than last year.

"It will be really tight for the next three rallies and I have no idea who will be world champion. A four-point lead is nothing, especially with three rallies coming. I could not do better here but Japan will be really hard now. Winning there would help me a lot but I'm not feeling too much pressure at the moment," he added.

Hirvonen crashed out on the first day after hitting a concrete block but the 27-year-old Finn returned under SupeRally rules in 63rd position. He steadily climbed the order, while also using the final two days to check his pace notes for the future, and his perseverance was rewarded when he moved in to the final points position on the last stage. He finished 13th.

"It was an up-and-down weekend but in the end it all feels OK," he said. "I didn't think I would be able to carry on after the accident but we scored this point because of unbelievable work by our mechanics. I'm disappointed not to finish higher but relieved to score a point for the team. It was good for our confidence to continue and even on the last stage I made two corrections to my pace notes so they should be good for next year."

BP-Ford team director Malcolm Wilson was delighted with the outcome. "Marcus excelled on an event which is not his favourite surface while Mikko completed a remarkable fightback today to take the final manufacturers' point on the last stage after being as low as 63rd. It was a gritty performance at a time of the year when every point counts," he said.

Ford TeamRS director Jost Capito was happy with the results of the asphalt double-header in Spain last weekend and France today. "We've performed well and scored good points on both rallies to keep us in the lead of both world championships. I'm convinced that with just four points separating Marcus and Loeb, it will be a thrilling fight for the drivers' title over the final three rounds," he said.

News from our rivals

Sébastien Loeb (Citroen) claimed his third Rallye de France victory with team-mate Dani Sordo joining him on the podium in third after winning the final three stages. Jari-Matti Latvala (Ford) equalled his career-best result in fourth after seeing off the challenge of Petter Solberg (Subaru). The pair started the final stage only 3.9sec apart but a tyre vibration cost Solberg any chance of moving up. Chris Atkinson (Subaru) rounded off the top six. Xevi Pons (Subaru) dropped more than three minutes and slipped to eighth when his engine stopped early in the opening stage and he punctured on each of the first two tests. Matthew Wilson (Ford) retired from 10th on the penultimate stage after losing all drive while Andreas Mikkelsen (Ford) was excluded from 10th late last night after his car was found to be under weight.

Next round

After two consecutive asphalt rounds the series returns to gravel in Japan for the third rally in four weeks. Rally Japan (25 - 28 October) is based in Obihiro on the northernmost island of Hokkaido.

Final positions

1. S Loeb/D Elena F Citroen C4 3hr 28min 31.5sec
2. M Grönholm/T Rautiainen FIN Ford Focus RS 3hr 28min 55.2sec
3. D Sordo/M Marti E Citroen C4 3hr 29min 15.8sec
4. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Focus RS 3hr 31min 02.0sec
5. P Solberg/P Mills N Subaru Impreza 3hr 31min 13.6sec
6. C Atkinson/S Prévot AUS Subaru Impreza 3hr 32min 25.3sec
7. J Kopecky/F Schovanek CZ Skoda Fabia 3hr 36min 34.4sec
8. X Pons/X Amigo E Subaru Impreza 3hr 38min 05.7sec
9. H Solberg/C Menkerud N Ford Focus RS 3hr 38min 43.7sec
10 D Sola/C Del Barrio E Peugeot 207 3hr 46min 29.1sec

Stage Times

Stage 13: 1. Loeb 14min 38.7sec; 2. Grönholm + 0.4; 3. Hirvonen + 4.5; 4. P Solberg + 6.2; 5= Latvala, Sordo + 6.8.
Overall: 1. Loeb 2hr 35min 37.3sec; 2. Grönholm + 27.9; 3. Sordo + 1:07.4; 4. Latvala + 2:30.7; 5. P Solberg + 2:37.1; 6. Atkinson + 3:02.7; 23. Hirvonen + 22:07.6.

Stage 14: 1. Sordo 18min 54.6sec; 2. Grönholm + 2.4; 3. Loeb + 3.3; 4. Latvala + 9.4; 5. P Solberg + 9.8; 6. Hirvonen + 13.8.
Overall: 1. Loeb 2hr 54min 35.2sec; 2. Grönholm + 27.0; 3. Sordo + 1:04.1; 4. Latvala + 2:36.8; 5. P Solberg + 2:43.6; 6. Atkinson + 3:31.2; 21. Hirvonen + 22:18.1.

Stage 15: 1. Sordo 14min 40.5sec; 2. Hirvonen + 1.6; 3. P Solberg + 7.1; 4. Loeb + 8.6; 5. Grönholm + 8.9; 6. Latvala + 10.0.
Overall: 1. Loeb 3hr 09min 24.3sec; 2. Grönholm + 27.3; 3. Sordo + 55.5; 4. Latvala + 2:38.2; 5. P Solberg + 2:42.1; 6. Atkinson + 3:43.1; 17. Hirvonen + 22:11.1.

Stage 16: 1. Sordo 18min 56.0sec; 2. Hirvonen + 2.3; 3. Latvala + 3.5; 4. Grönholm + 7.6; 5= P Solberg, Loeb + 11.2.
Overall: 1. Loeb 3hr 28min 31.5sec; 2. Grönholm + 23.7; 3. Sordo + 44.3; 4. Latvala + 2:30.5; 5. P Solberg + 2:42.1; 6. Atkinson + 3:53.8; 13. Hirvonen + 22:02.2.

Bron: M-Sport

De stand na dag 2.

Gronholm heeft zijn 2e plaats weten te behouden na de 2e dag van de Rally Corsica en leverde hij opnieuw tijd in, want gisteren sloot hij de dag af met een 4.8 sec. dit is eind 2e dag opgelopen tot 27.5. Hij zei hierover, dat hij hard heeft gereden maar dat het erg moeilijk is Loeb in te halen.

3 Sordo
4 Duval
5 Latvala (Ford Focus)
6 Solberg, Petter
7 Atkinson
8 Pons
9 Kopecky
10 Solberg, Henning (Ford Focus)
11 Mikkelsen (Ford Focus)
12 Wilson, Matthew (Ford Focus)
32 Hirvonen (Ford Focus)

Hirvonen crasht op dag 1.

De openingsproef van 18.10 km van Monti Rossu naar Pila Canale werd geannuleerd wegens
teveel toeschouwers bij Col. de Bellevalle. Daarom begon de concurrentie slag bij de 2e proef de
16.62 km Belvedere - Bocca Albitrina en Ford bestuurders Marcus Gronholm en Timo Rautiainen van het Team RS waren de snelste op deze proef in hun Focus RS World Rally Car.
De 39 jarige Fin was ook de snelste op de proef van 27.42 km. Arbellara - Aullene op weg naar
de service in Ajaccio met een 2.9 sec. voorsprong op Dani Sordo en een 1.2 sec. op aartsrivaal
Sebastien Loeb. Gronholm leek gelukkiger met de weersomstandigheden dan de vorige week in Spanje, want het bleef droog, dus de bandenkeuze kon dit keer geen roet in het eten gooien.

Mikko Hirvonen en Jarmo Lethinen werden 4e bij de openings special stage maar de Finnen
crashten op de proef Arbellera - Aulleni. Hirvonen zei dat de pace notes te snel waren in een bocht ergens midden in deze proef. Hij ging veel te snel de bocht in en raakte met zijn Focus RS een steen. Dit bracht enorme schade aan het rechter achterwiel en brak daarbij ook de schokbreker, waardoor het BP-Ford duo genoodzaakt was de race te stoppen. Mikko komt morgen onder de speciale regeling 'Superally' terug in de race.

Uiteindelijk moest Gronholm zijn eerste plaats weer afstaan aan Sebastien Loeb en eindigde 4.8
sec. achter op hem.

3e D. Sordo
4e F. Duval
5e P. Solberg
6e J. Lavala
7e C. Atkinson
8e X.Pons
9e J. Kopecky
10e H. Solberg

terug naar WRC Rally index    terug naar begin