07 t/m 09 mei 2010 New Zealand.

De eindstand, dag 3:

Latvala wins Rally New Zealand for Ford after dramatic finale.

BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila today won Rally New Zealand after a storybook ending to this fifth round of the FIA World Rally Championship. After remarkable drama in the final few kilometres, the Finns won by just 2.4sec in their Ford Focus RS World Rally Car - the third closest finish ever. The victory means Ford becomes the most successful manufacturer in the history of the WRC with 75 wins.

Team-mates Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen finished fourth in another Focus RS WRC, to enable Ford to close to within five points of the lead in the manufacturers' championship standings with eight rounds remaining. Latvala's victory was his third career success and his first since triumphing in Italy almost 12 months ago. He climbs to second in the drivers' standings and Hirvonen moves up to third. Ford and Rally New Zealand have a habit of generating excitement in recent years. The team won the manufacturers' world title here in 2006 for the first time in 27 years. Twelve months later Marcus Grönholm won after the closest finish in WRC history, with an advantage of just 0.3sec.

The event returned to Auckland as the host city for the first time since 2005. Organisers took advantage of new-for-2010 rules to increase the competitive distance to 396.50km over three days, making it the longest WRC round since 2004. The action took place on smooth, flowing speed tests to the north and south-west of the City of Sails. The predominantly gravel special stages, regarded as the best in the world by many drivers, were spiced up with the addition of several asphalt sections.

Latvala was one of four leaders during the opening day, which he ended in second. The 25-year-old Finn was frustrated after losing time yesterday and started the final day in third, 33.2sec from the lead but in a better start position than those ahead. He climbed a place on the second of the four speed tests on the Tasman Sea coastline near Raglan and went into the final stage, the legendary 29.67km Whaanga Coast, just 6.2sec from the lead.

Four drivers started with a chance of victory. Petter Solberg was the first to fall by the wayside when he crashed into a telegraph pole and then Sébastien Loeb spun, for the second time in the test, less than 10km from the finish. Remarkably leader Sébastien Ogier then went off the road just three corners from the finish. Amid all the drama, the consistent Latvala kept calm to power to a fairytale victory.

"I didn't think it could happen, it's the most amazing and beautiful win," said Latvala. "Whaanga Coast showed its teeth. I neared the end of the stage and could see a car's bumper on the road but I didn't know which car it was from. I didn't know we had won until three minutes after the finish of the stage and Miikka did the calculations. It's my best win and makes up for my disappointments.
"I can't believe I'm second in the championship. I wasn't the fastest here but I was the most consistent and that paid off when it mattered. I need to carry on doing the job I'm doing as second driver because my strategy is working. It was a fantastic rally over the most beautiful roads in the world," he added.

Hirvonen struggled to find the pace he wanted during the opening two days, and the 29-year-old Finn began the final day in sixth, a minute from the lead. He more than halved that deficit during the opening two stages this morning as he climbed to fifth and then gained another position on the final stage when Solberg crashed out.
"It was a difficult weekend but I was able to climb up today and score valuable points for the team and myself," he said. "After yesterday I thought there would be no chance of a good result. I struggled and the mistake I made cost a lot. I need to think about why I had no speed yesterday. If I could start the weekend again I would change my Friday set up."

Delighted BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team director Malcolm Wilson said: "This sport has a habit of producing the unexpected. The last three days have been full-on excitement and the drama we witnessed takes some believing. Jari-Matti displayed great maturity. We worked hard with him after last season to develop greater consistency and maturity, and he showed how far he has progressed."

Ford of Europe motorsport chief Gerard Quinn hailed Ford's 75th WRC win. "Ford is a stalwart supporter of world rallying and our 75th victory is a landmark achievement. Ford has won with the Escort and we have won with the Sierra but it's fitting that the Focus, our most successful rally car, should claim our 75th victory in its final season as our WRC challenger."

News from other Ford teams

The Ford Fiesta S2000 claimed a clean sweep of the podium positions in the S-WRC support category. Jari Ketomaa and Mika Stenberg led home Xevi Pons and Alex Haro by 54.1sec, with Martin Prokop and Jan Tománek third. The Fiesta S2000, which will form the basis of Ford's all-new Fiesta WRC for the 2011 campaign, has won the opening three rounds of the category. Pons leads the championship.

Next round

The opening half of the season ends on gravel with the Rally de Portugal. It is based in Faro on the Algarve coast on 27 - 30 May.

Final positions
1. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Focus RS 4hr 04min 09.8sec
2. S Ogier/J Ingrassia FRA Citroen C4 4hr 04min 12.2sec
3. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 4hr 04min 25.0sec
4. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 4hr 04min 31.1sec
5. D Sordo/M Marti ESP Citroen C4 4hr 04min 35.6sec
6. M Wilson/S Martin GBR Ford Focus RS 4hr 07min 35.8sec
7. H Solberg/I Minor NOR Ford Focus RS 4hr 10min 25.1sec
8. J Ketomaa/M Stenberg FIN Ford Fiesta S2000 4hr 14min 29.1sec
9. F Villagra/J Perez Companc ARG Ford Focus RS 4hr 14min 59.6sec
10 X Pons/A Haro ESP Ford Fiesta S2000 4hr 15min 23.2sec

Drivers

1. S Loeb 108pts
2. J-M Latvala 72pts
3. M Hirvonen 64pts
4. S Ogier 63pts
5. P Solberg 53pts
6. D Sordo 34pts

Manufacturers

1. Citroen Total 156pts
2. BP Ford Abu Dhabi 151pts
3. Citroen Junior 75pts
4. Stobart M-Sport Ford 74pts
5. Munchi's Ford 32pts

Bron | M-Sport

Stand na dag 2:

Latvala in podium place as New Zealand rally heads into last day
BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila go into tomorrow's final leg of Rally New Zealand with their sights fixed on a podium finish. The Finns lie third in a Ford Focus RS World Rally Car after today's demanding second leg, which has again delivered excitement and changes aplenty at the top of the leaderboard. Team-mates Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen are sixth in another Focus RS WRC.

It was another long day behind the wheel for the 50 surviving competitors, who tackled 155.62km of competition in the northern Waikato region of North Island. They faced two identical loops of four stages, three over flowing gravel roads in the country and one at the new Hampton Downs motor racing circuit. There was only a 15-minute slot in which to service cars midway through the day and, as an additional challenge, all the country tests included asphalt sections.

Temperatures were cool under overcast skies but the rain kept away. As on the opening leg, the dry conditions meant loose gravel on the surface of the fast, flowing cambered roads was a disadvantage to the early starters. Those further down the running order enjoyed a cleaner and faster line after the stones were swept clear.
Latvala, lying second overnight, dropped to third during the opening loop, but quickly regained the place to end the morning 14.4sec from the lead. Despite consistent times during the afternoon, the 25-year-old lost a position to the charging Sébastien Loeb to end the day 33.2sec from the lead.

"The roads were more difficult to drive than I expected," he said. "They were much more slippery. When we made the recce the surface was damp, but today it was totally dry and the grip was different. My weakness came on the middle stage of each loop because my pace notes weren't precise enough and I lost time. I opted to take two spare tyres this afternoon because I was concerned about tyre wear but it was a mistake. The extra weight meant the rear of the car didn't handle so well.

"I would have been happy to be third in the running order tomorrow and 15sec from the lead, but I think 30sec is too much to take back. My priority is to hold onto third and anything else will be a bonus. Tomorrow's stages are notoriously demanding so I don't want to risk what I have," he added.

Hirvonen had a difficult day. Restarting in fifth, just 20.2sec from the lead, the 29-year-old Finn dropped time on the opening test. "About 7km before the finish, the car slid wide, spun and stopped facing the wrong way. I had to drive back down the road briefly to turn round. The back of the car hit a bank and the impact punctured the tyre. I thought I had broken the suspension but fortunately that wasn't the case. If the car slides too wide, then you are driving too fast. I tried to push too hard and made a mistake," he said.

He recovered well to end the morning still in fifth, 38.0sec from the lead. However, he could not produce the top times he needed this afternoon to close the gap and dropped a position to overnight 60.2sec behind.

"I tried so hard but I just can't go any faster. I made a mistake this morning but after that I drove well and really enjoyed the stages. I'm happier with my driving today and a harder suspension set-up was better, but the times just weren't there. It has been a long time since I've been happy with my driving yet found myself in sixth," added the 29-year-old Finn.

News from other Ford teams

Stobart M-Sport Ford drivers Matthew Wilson and Scott Martin lie seventh in a Focus RS World Rally Car, despite understeer and brake difficulties. Team-mates Henning Solberg and Ilka Minor are eighth, the Norwegian driver still struggling with his car's handling. Munchi's Ford duo Federico Villagra and Jorge Perez Companc climbed into 10th in their Focus RS WRC. Jari Ketomaa and Mika Stenberg continue to head a Ford Fiesta S2000 1-2 in the S-WRC support category.

Tomorrow’s Route

The final leg is the shortest of the event and is again based on the west coast of North Island, but further south than today. After leaving Auckland at 06.00, drivers tackle two identical loops of two tests on the Tasman Sea coast covering 81.70km. They are split by a short remote service in Raglan. The second stage of the loop is the classic Whaanga Coast, which provides superb picture postcard views over the Tasman from high on the cliffs above.

Leaderboard after Day 2

1. S Ogier/J Ingrassia FRA Citroen C4 3hr 05min 40.4sec
2. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 3hr 05min 45.7sec
3. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Focus RS 3hr 06min 13.6sec
4. D Sordo/M Marti ESP Citroen C4 3hr 06min 27.9sec
5. P Solberg/P Mills NOR Citroen C4 3hr 06min 34.0sec
6. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 3hr 06min 40.6sec
7. M Wilson/S Martin GBR Ford Focus RS 3hr 08min 45.3sec
8. H Solberg/I Minor NOR Ford Focus RS 3hr 11min 21.8sec
9. J Ketomaa/M Stenberg FIN Ford Fiesta S2000 3hr 13min 53.1sec
10 F Villagra/J Perez Companc ARG Ford Focus RS 3hr 14min 09.2sec

Bron | M-Sport

Stand na dag 1:

Latvala well-positioned in second after New Zealand opener.

After an enthralling day's action in which four different drivers topped the leaderboard, BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team's Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila ended the opening leg of Rally New Zealand in second place. The Finns are just 1.4sec from the lead in their Ford Focus RS World Rally Car. Team-mates and fellow countrymen Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen are fifth in another Focus RS WRC, 20.2sec from the lead.

Although the opening leg of this fifth round of the FIA World Rally Championship is the longest of the three-day event, it was very much the starter ahead of tomorrow's main course. Drivers jockeyed for position on the fast and flowing gravel roads of North Island, aware that guiding themselves into a good place in the start order for the second leg was the most important task of the day. Just 8.7sec covered the top four cars, with Hirvonen also firmly in contention one place behind.

The rally is based in Auckland for the first time since 2005 and that allowed today's route to journey into the Northland region, north of the city, to tackle roads that have not been used since then. Drivers completed two loops of four gravel speed tests, three of which were used twice, before a short asphalt special stage at Auckland's War Memorial Museum ended the day. There was just a brief 15-minute stop in Whangarei between the two loops in which to service cars. The nine tests covered 159.18km.

A remarkably warm summer created dry, dusty conditions, and a thick layer of gravel covered the road surface. It left the early starters at a disadvantage, as they swept the stones clear to leave a cleaner and faster line for those further down the running order. With similar conditions expected tomorrow, the leading drivers focused on ending the day as close as possible to the lead, but in an overall position that will allow them to benefit from a lower start order.
New Zealand's smooth, heavily cambered roads are a driver's dream and they are regarded as among the best in the world. The pace was fast and furious this morning as Latvala settled into third from his position of fourth in the start order.

"I couldn't find a good rhythm in the opening two stages and I wasn't comfortable with my driving," said the 25-year-old. "The third stage was better and the final one was fantastic to drive. It was just like a stage at home in Finland and was probably the best feeling I've experienced this year. There was a lot of loose gravel on the first two stages but the next two were better and they cleaned up more."

Consistent times this afternoon ensured Latvala became the fourth different leader after the seventh of the nine stages, but the Finn was happy to settle for second overnight.

"It gives me a good road position tomorrow. I will have the advantage of seeing the braking points in the gravel from the car ahead and that will make a big difference. I had a good, clear run today. My only moment of concern came when I slid into a ditch on the long afternoon stage. It's a tight battle on demanding roads and the fight for victory will go all the way to Sunday, so I must push to the maximum with no dramas. Tomorrow's stages are more technical on narrower roads and the car will feel less stable on the asphalt sections with gravel tyres," he said.

Hirvonen, third in the start order, held third initially but slipped to fifth after the road cleaning process became more pronounced during the final two tests of the opening loop. He remained there during the afternoon stages but admitted that he would have preferred to be closer to the leader. He survived unscathed this morning after a bird flew into the windscreen of his Focus RS WRC, fortunately without shattering the glass.

"I can't explain just how enjoyable it is to drive on these roads," he said. "It was like dancing with the car. Maybe I've enjoyed them a little too much because I need to up the pace a fraction. I can't afford to let the guys in front of me get away. I was frustrated to lose time on the final two proper stages because I had a great run, but I have a perfect start position tomorrow and I'm still there fighting for the win. My performance was OK, but not as good as it could have been. The car set-up wasn't quite perfect and with only remote service, we had no opportunity to change it.

BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson reflected on what he labelled 'a good, solid team performance'. "Today witnessed one of the closest battles we've seen so far this season with only 20sec covering the top five paces. Jari-Matti has driven fantastically well while Mikko will start tomorrow in a great road position. Both cars ran faultlessly and we're well-placed tonight," he said.

News from other Ford teams

Stobart M-Sport Ford drivers Matthew Wilson and Scott Martin lie sixth in a Focus RS WRC, despite a side window breaking this morning to allow dust into the car and gearbox hitches this afternoon. Team-mates Henning Solberg and Ilka Minor are eighth, the Norwegian driver unhappy with his car's handling. Munchi's Ford duo Federico Villagra and Jorge Perez Companc lie 11th. Spaniards Xevi Pons and Alex Haro head a 1-2 in the S-WRC support category for the Ford Fiesta S2000.

Tomorrow’s Route

The second day is another long and demanding leg with 155.62km of competition, the bulk of it held south-west of Auckland in the Franklin and northern Waikato areas. After restarting at 06.00, drivers face two identical loops of four stages. The opening three are on country roads before a short test on the fringe of Auckland at the new Hampton Downs motor racing circuit. To add an extra challenge, each of the day's country stages is mixed surface and the Hampton Downs test is all-asphalt. Drivers return to Auckland for the final overnight halt at 18.08.

Leaderboard after Day 1

1. P Solberg/P Mills NOR Citroen C4 1hr 35min 51.3sec
2. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Focus RS 1hr 35min 52.7sec
3. S Ogier/J Ingrassia FRA Citroen C4 1hr 35min 55.2sec
4. D Sordo/M Marti ESP Citroen C4 1hr 36min 00.0sec
5. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 1hr 36min 11.5sec
6. M Wilson/S Martin GBR Ford Focus RS 1hr 37min 01.0sec
7. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 1hr 37min 11.1sec
8. H Solberg/I Minor NOR Ford Focus RS 1hr 37min 36.6sec
9. J Ketomaa/M Stenberg FIN Ford Fiesta S2000 1hr 40min 09.3sec
10 X Pons/A Haro ESP Ford Fiesta S2000 1hr 40min 31.8sec

Bron | M-Sport

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