Rally Australië 04-09 t/m 06-09-2009

Hirvonen named Rally Australia winner after late-night hearing,

BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen have been named as winners of Rally Australia following a post-event hearing that imposed a one minute penalty on the Citroen C4 cars that filled three of the top four places.

The stewards of this 10th round of the FIA World Rally Championship received a post-event scrutineering report from the FIA Technical Delegate which stated that the front anti-roll bar link on the car of Sébastien Loeb did not comply with the homologation form of the car. Citroen agreed that the part was different from the homologation photograph, and confirmed that the cars of Dani Sordo and Sébastien Ogier were also fitted with identical parts.

The stewards imposed a one minute penalty on all three cars, promoting the Ford Focus RS World Rally Car of Hirvonen and co-driver Jarmo Lehtinen from second to first, and that of team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala from fifth to fourth.

It means that Hirvonen will start the penultimate round of the series in Spain next month with a five point lead in the drivers' standings over Loeb, while second-placed Ford has reduced the gap in the manufacturers' standings to 13 points.

"It's a shame that after such a thrilling battle for three days the result of the rally is decided in the stewards' room," said 29-year-old Hirvonen. "I suffered a points loss in Portugal two years ago, so I know how Sébastien, in particular, must feel tonight. This decision has a major effect on the championship standings and we now go to Spain with a five point lead."

Revised final positions
1. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 2hr 53min 06.5sec
2. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 2hr 53min 54.0sec
3. D Sordo/M Marti ESP Citroen C4 2hr 54min 11.1sec
4. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Focus RS 2hr 54min 58.5sec
5. S Ogier/J Ingrassia FRA Citroen C4 2hr 55min 29.8sec
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

Drivers
1. M Hirvonen 78pts
2. S Loeb 73pts
3. D Sordo 50pts
4. J-M Latvala 36pts
5. H Solberg 29pts
6. P Solberg 25pts

Manufacturers
1. Citroen Total 133pts
2. BP Ford Abu Dhabi 120pts
3. Stobart VK M-Sport Ford 69pts
4. Citroen Junior 37pts
5. Munchi's Ford 21pts

Bron: M-Sport

De eindstand: die hierboven dus herzien is.

Hirvonen claims second in Australia after tense final day tussle,

Ford'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.

"It was a tough weekend, but one hell of a fight for victory," said Hirvonen. "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," added Hirvonen.

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 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.

"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."
Abu Dhabi's Khalid Al Qassimi and Michael Orr finished 19th in the team's other Focus RS WRC. They retired on the first leg when they hit a tree stump and broke the car's steering but returned under SupeRally rules to complete the final two days.

BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson said he was delighted Hirvonen had retained the championship lead. "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," he said.

Ford motorsport chief Gerard Quinn said: "This was one of the most exciting rallies the championship has witnessed for some time. Five drivers were in the mix for victory initially, and any one of three could have won today. That excitement is transferred to the drivers' championship. Mikko holds a single point lead and it looks as if the outcome could go down the wire at the final round in Britain next month. Before that we journey to Spain and we have an expanded test scheduled there before the rally to be fully prepared for the challenges of the asphalt."

News from other Ford teams
Stobart VK M-Sport's Matthew Wilson and Scott Martin climbed to sixth in their Focus RS WRC, despite a puncture this morning. They edged ahead of team-mates Henning Solberg and Cato Menkerud before the Norwegians spun and then dropped further time this afternoon with brake problems. They slipped into eighth, behind Munchi's Ford drivers Federico Villagra and Jorge Perez Companc, but overhauled their fellow Focus RS WRC drivers on the final stage to take seventh.

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
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

Bron: M-Sport

De stand na dag 2:

Hirvonen tied in second as Rally Australia awaits last leg thriller,

BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen are tied for second in Rally Australia tonight after an enthralling day in which frequently changing positions and late afternoon tactics set up an exciting final leg showdown tomorrow. Remarkably, just one-tenth of a second covers the top three cars after they jockeyed for position this evening in an attempt to secure the best starting slot to take advantage of favourable road conditions in the morning.

Hirvonen, who leads the drivers' standings in the FIA World Rally Championship in a Ford Focus RS World Rally Car, is tied with title rival Sébastien Loeb, just 0.1sec behind Dani Sordo. Team-mates and long-time leaders Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila are fourth in their Focus RS WRC, after bravely resisting the challenge of four drivers behind them for much of a marathon 15-hour leg.

Thirty-five of the original 40 starters left Kingscliff in northern New South Wales in darkness this morning for the second leg of this 10th round of the series. Ahead lay eight gravel speed tests in the Tweed and Kyogle shires to the south-west, before a final visit to the asphalt special stages in the streets of Murwillumbah that began the rally on Thursday. They faced 113.45km of action in total.

Hirvonen, lying fifth after the opening day, was quickly into his stride. He won the opening test to climb to third, despite swiping a mail box which punched a hole in a rear side window of his Focus RS WRC, before claiming a second win on the final stage of the loop. He took second this afternoon as he battled for supremacy with Loeb and, incredibly, he clipped the same mail box again - this time breaking a front side window!

Tactics came into play on the final country test, after which tomorrow's start order was calculated. With Hirvonen having already completed the stage, Loeb slowed before the finish, promoting the Finn into the rally lead. It means the Ford driver will be first to start and must play the role of road sweeper, cleaning the loose gravel from the surface to leave a cleaner and potentially faster line for those behind. Still the excitement wasn't over as the drivers fought for tenths of a second in the Murwillumbah tests, setting up a dramatic finale.

"It's so close, it is incredible," said 29-year-old Hirvonen. "The final leg is the longest of the rally, which is good because it means there are a lot of kilometres in which to fight for the win. I tried to push as hard as possible this afternoon, but I tried too hard because I made some small mistakes. I didn't want to be first on the road tomorrow but there was nothing I could do about it and it will be tough trying to win from that position if conditions are dry. However, if it is wet, it could be perfect.

"I had a very lucky escape on the second test this morning. I went off the road on a fourth gear left bend and the car went into the bushes. It bounced back onto the road without losing any speed, but if there had been a tree stump or a stone in there then I would certainly have rolled," he added.

Torrential early morning rain soaked the roads but was a blessing for 24-year-old Latvala. He was first in the start order and the wet gravel offered better grip for his Pirelli tyres than the slippery loose stones on the surface that they encountered yesterday in the dry. However, as the clouds cleared and the sun returned, the roads quickly dried and he had to endure the role of road sweeper.

Nevertheless, he held a slender 3.5sec advantage after the opening loop before finally ceding the lead this afternoon. Then, on the final country stage, he damaged a tyre after hitting a bank, dropping 45sec and leaving him just 1.8sec ahead of Sébastien Ogier.

"About 3km after the start I approached a long, fast left bend with a bump on the exit," he said. "I hit the bump and the car jumped sideways into the ditch. The rear wheel hit a bank and the impact pushed the tyre off the rim. I continued but about 5km from the end the tyre exploded, damaging the side of the car. I had enjoyed the day but it was a disappointing end. I suffered from sweeping the tracks this morning and it was harder being first on the road than I thought. The first stage was wet but the others were mostly dry and I couldn't find a rhythm. I lost time in slow bends because I slid wide too often."

Abu Dhabi's Khalid Al Qassimi and Michael Orr restarted this morning under SupeRally rules with a 40 minute penalty after retiring yesterday with broken steering. They climbed to 26th in their Focus RS WRC after an untroubled day.

News from other Ford teams

Stobart VK M-Sport's Henning Solberg and Cato Menkerud remain sixth in their Focus RS WRC despite a high-speed crash on the second stage. Their car slid into a ditch on a muddy 150kph left bend before hitting several fence posts. The impact smashed the windscreen and the Norwegians drove the final two morning tests exposed to the elements and wearing goggles. They lost 45sec but no places. Team-mates Matthew Wilson and Scott Martin are still seventh, after a troublefree day with Munchi's drivers Federico Villagra and Jorge Perez Companc in eighth.

Tomorrow’s Route

The final leg is the longest and toughest of the rally. After a 05.00 restart from Kingscliff, drivers make the long journey west of Kyogle for two loops of five speed tests covering 124.48km. The first four stages of each loop are repeated and the final test of the event, the 22.41km Repco, is broadcast live on television. Drivers have little respite in the event of problems, with just a brief 15-minute service in Kyogle between the loops. They return to Kingscliff for the finish at 16.04.

Leaderboard after Day 2
1. D Sordo/M Marti ESP Citroen C4 1hr 52min 28.1sec
2= M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 1hr 52min 28.2sec
2= S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 1hr 52min 28.2sec
4. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Focus RS 1hr 53min 12.5sec
5. S Ogier/J Ingrassia FRA Citroen C4 1hr 53min 14.3sec
6. H Solberg/C Menkerud NOR Ford Focus RS 1hr 55min 10.5sec
7. M Wilson/S Martin GBR Ford Focus RS 1hr 55min 11.3sec
8. F Villagra/J Perez Companc ARG Ford Focus RS 1hr 56min 27.9sec
9. H Paddon/J Kennard NZL Mitsubishi Lancer 2hr 01min 44.1sec
10 M Prokop/J Tomanek CZE Mitsubishi Lancer 2hr 01min 57.4sec

Bron: M-Sport

De stand na dag 1:

Six of the best earns Latvala overnight lead in Rally Australia,

BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila led Rally Australia after a tight day's competition in New South Wales today. The Finns took full advantage of favourable road conditions to win six speed tests in their Ford Focus RS World Rally Car and take an overnight advantage of 2.2sec in this 10th round of the FIA World Rally Championship. Team-mates and championship leaders Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen lie fifth in another Focus RS WRC.

After 19 years in Western Australia, the rally has made the 3600km journey to the east coast for the country's first WRC round since 2006. Its new home at Kingscliff, in northern New South Wales, is close to the Queensland border and just south of the Gold Coast holiday area and Brisbane.

After two asphalt tests through the streets of Murwillumbah last night, today's action comprised two loops of special stages on gravel roads in the Tweed and Kyogle shires to the south-west. The day ended with another double pass through the street tests. Two stages were cancelled for safety reasons so competitors tackled 13 predominantly short tests, covering 84.13km, during this opening leg of the four-day event, and spent more than 14 hours behind the wheel today.

The day was a battle of the youngsters. Twenty-four-year-old Latvala, fifth after last night's tests, took the lead on this morning's second stage from Sébastien Ogier, 25, and traded tenths of a second with the Frenchman throughout the rest of the morning. He won three stages to return to the Kingscliff service park with a slender 1.1sec advantage. Latvala then won all three country tests this afternoon to extend his lead to 7.4sec, before Ogier pegged him back in Murwillumbah's streets.

"I enjoyed the advantage of a good start position, which meant much of the slippery gravel on the road surface had been swept away, but I'm still quite surprised to be leading," admitted Latvala. "I drove at 95 percent this morning and stepped that up to about 98 percent this afternoon. That was fast enough because any quicker and the car would have slid too sideways and cost me time. The grip level has changed constantly because after this morning's rain, some corners remained damp this afternoon.

"I hit a hole in the fourth stage which bent the steering on the left. I tried not to think about it, drove normally and it worked. The team replaced the cross-member at the lunchtime service. I didn't want to play tactics and sacrifice time this afternoon for a better road position tomorrow. It didn't make sense to give away time because the stages are so short that it would be hard to regain it again. I think it's possible for a driver to win this rally from starting first on the road but it wouldn't be easy," he said.

Hirvonen was first in the start order and enjoyed less favourable conditions. The slippery stones presented few problems on fast sections but were a disadvantage on the twisty stretches, as his Focus RS WRC swept away the gravel to leave a cleaner and faster line for those behind. Tellingly, he was quickest on this morning's second test at an average of more than 128kph, but dropped time on the final three stages of the loop, which were the slowest of the day.

He ended the morning fifth, having been third after his stage victory. Although he regained third this afternoon, he eventually ended the day just 0.1sec behind fourth-placed Dani Sordo and 0.9sec behind title rival Sébastien Loeb in third.

"There was so much loose gravel this morning that even on the straights the car was spinning wheels in places," said 29-year-old Hirvonen. "Considering how incredibly slippery it was, I'm pleased with my position and the time I've lost isn't so bad. My fight is with Loeb and nobody else and I kept my sights firmly on him all day. It was tough being the road sweeper but today is the most difficult of the three legs and the roads will be less slippery now. My goal was not to lose too much time and I don't think I did too badly."

Lehtinen is celebrating his 100th world rally start and was presented with a special Australia rugby jersey to commemorate the feat by former Wallabies captain and double World Cup winner Tim Horan during yesterday's pre-event test. Horan, who is in the area ahead of Australia's Tri-Nations Series game against South Africa in Brisbane tomorrow, also enjoyed a high speed passenger ride in a Focus RS WRC alongside BP Ford Abu Dhabi driver Khalid Al Qassimi.

Al Qassimi and Michael Orr held 10th in their Focus RS WRC until retiring in the seventh stage after striking a rock and breaking the car's steering. They will restart tomorrow under SupeRally rules. "Of course it is disappointing to withdraw now. I lost an afternoon on the new Australian surfaces, but will continue to compete tomorrow and do my best to recover from this early setback," said Al Qassimi.

News from other Ford teams
Stobart VK M-Sport's Henning Solberg and Cato Menkerud are sixth in their Focus RS WRC, despite hitting a post this morning and feeling unhappy with their car's set-up. Team-mates Matthew Wilson and Scott Martin are seventh. They spun this morning and Wilson admitted he was struggling with his confidence. Munchi's Federico Villagra and Jorge Perez Companc are eighth after a problem-free day.

Tomorrow’s Route
The second leg offers more than 15 hours behind the wheel. After leaving Kingscliff at 05.30, drivers journey south-west for a loop of four tests near Kyogle before returning to the rally base for midday service. Another loop of four stages near Kyogle precedes a third and final visit to Murwillumbah for two more passes through the street stage. Drivers return to Kingscliff for the final overnight halt at 20.55 after 10 stages covering 113.45km.

Leaderboard after Day 1
1. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Focus RS 53min 21.4sec
2. S Ogier/J Ingrassia FRA Citroen C4 53min 23.6sec
3. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 53min 44.1sec
4. D Sordo/M Marti ESP Citroen C4 53min 44.2sec
5. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 53min 45.0sec
6. H Solberg/C Menkerud NOR Ford Focus RS 54min 12.7sec
7. M Wilson/S Martin GBR Ford Focus RS 55min 03.8sec
8. F Villagra/J Perez Companc ARG Ford Focus RS 55min 26.0sec
9. C Rautenbach/D Barritt ZIM Citroen C4 55min 48.9sec
10 R Mason/S Mason NZL Subaru Impreza 57min 37.7sec

Bron | M-Sport

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