16 t/m 18 maart 2010 WRC Rally Turkije

De eindstand:

Hirvonen nets podium for Ford in gruelling Rally of Turkey,

BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen finished third in the Rally of Turkey today after the most demanding round of the FIA World Rally Championship season to date. The Finns' bid for victory was ended this morning by a combination of bad weather, which forced the cancellation of two speed tests, and a puncture after their Ford Focus RS World Rally Car struck a rock.
Team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila finished eighth in another Focus RS WRC after a superb recovery drive following an accident yesterday morning. The double points haul keeps Ford in second place in the manufacturers' standings, 15 points from the lead. Hirvonen remains third in the drivers' championship, five points ahead of fourth-placed Latvala.



After five previous encounters in southern Turkey, this fourth round of the championship moved north to Istanbul. After a start ceremony in the shadow of the famous Blue Mosque, the rally crossed from the European part of the city to the Asian quarter, where the rally was based. Rocky roads north-east of the city near the Black Sea coastline proved a tough challenge for cars and tyres, while organisers took advantage of new rules for 2010 to spice up the action further with mixed surface speed tests.

Hirvonen led initially and ended the opening leg in third after intense competition which saw the top six cars covered by just 27sec. He retained third during the second leg and started the final day just 17.3sec from the lead. However, torrential overnight rain turned this morning's opening two special stages into a mudbath and they were cancelled. It reduced today's competitive distance by a third and with fewer kilometres in which to close the gap, Hirvonen attacked hard once the action started.



However, in treacherously muddy conditions, he slid wide 1.5km from the start of the 19.22km Ballica test and hit a rock, puncturing the rear left tyre. He lost more than 45sec driving to the end of the stage and dropped to fourth. However, he regained third on the next stage when Dani Sordo retired and drove cautiously through the final two tests to consolidate a podium position.

"I decided to chase the victory this morning but the two cancelled stages didn't help me," said 29-year-old Hirvonen. "The car slid wide at a very fast place and hit a rock, puncturing the tyre. The tyre was destroyed after 10km but we decided to continue and only lost about 45sec, so that was the right decision. The impact also damaged the lining of the wheel arch and the car filled with dust and grit. It was so bad I couldn't see properly.



"We only made one mistake but we ended the day on the podium where we started, so it's not so bad. After what happened, third was the best we could achieve. It's not what I hoped for this weekend but the puncture destroyed my hopes of a win," he added.

Latvala ended the first leg in sixth but rolled just 1km after the start of the opening test on the second leg. He dropped nine minutes before spectators lifted the car back onto its wheels and lost more time on the remaining two tests before service as the turbo boost pipe was damaged in the crash. He slid to 17th but climbed to 12th by the end of the day. A fast, but cautious, drive today enabled the 25-year-old to move up to eighth.



"It was an up and down weekend," he said. "Sitting in the car upside down wasn't a good place to be yesterday morning, but we scored manufacturers' and drivers' points so in the end it wasn't so bad. This was the hardest event of the year and the most demanding rally for the car that I've ever driven on. After the accident I thought I could take something from the rally, but I'm surprised to finish as high as eighth."

BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson was pleased Hirvonen recovered to claim a podium finish. "Sadly our chances evaporated with the cancelled stages, but Mikko salvaged third on what was the hardest event in the championship. The situation in the manufacturers' championship is virtually unchanged as only one point separated us from our rivals on this rally," he said.
Ford of Europe motorsport chief Gerard Quinn said: "The conditions here have been widely accepted as the toughest so far this season. However, we had no mechanical problems with our cars and Pirelli's tyres performed superbly in the most arduous situation. It was refreshing to see how competitive our drivers were and how closely-fought this rally was. Hopefully this will distance the sport from the controversies that followed Rally Jordan."



News from other Ford teams

The privately-entered Ford Fiesta S2000 of Dennis Kuipers and Frederic Miclotte finished ninth and the car headed the S2000 category for the third consecutive WRC round.

Next round

The BP Ford Abu Dhabi squad faces its longest journey of the season for round five. Rally New Zealand is based in Auckland on 6 - 9 May and is primarily a gravel event on fast and flowing roads on North Island, but with short asphalt sections included in several tests.



Final positions

1. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 3hr 01min 38.7sec
2. P Solberg/P Mills NOR Citroen C4 3hr 02min 33.2sec
3. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 3hr 03min 22.1sec
4. S Ogier/J Ingrassia FRA Citroen C4 3hr 05min 24.7sec
5. K Räikkönen/K Lindström FIN Citroen C4 3hr 08min 23.0sec
6. F Villagra/J Diaz ARG Ford Focus RS 3hr 09min 35.4sec
7. M Wilson/S Martin GBR Ford Focus RS 3hr 10min 08.5sec
8. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Focus RS 3hr 21min 22.9sec
9. D Kuipers/F Miclotte HOL Ford Fiesta S2000 3hr 25min 00.9sec
10 A Burkart/A Kachel DEU Suzuki Swift 3hr 28min 43.4sec

Drivers

1. S Loeb 93pts
2. P Solberg 53pts
3. M Hirvonen 52pts
4. J-M Latvala 47pts
5. S Ogier 45pts
6. D Sordo 24pts

Manufacturers

1. Citroen Total 126pts
2. BP Ford Abu Dhabi 111pts
3. Citroen Junior 75pts
4. Stobart M-Sport Ford 56pts
5. Munchi's Ford 26pts

Bron | M-Sport

Stand na dag 2:

Hirvonen Embroiled in Titanic Tussle at the Top in Turkey,

BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team's Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen will start tomorrow's final day of the Rally of Turkey in the midst of a thrilling battle for victory. The Finns are third in a Ford Focus RS World Rally Car, just 17.3sec from the lead, after an exciting second leg through the lush green countryside near Istanbul. The top four drivers in this fourth round of the FIA World Rally Championship are covered by just 22.4sec with 114km of competition remaining.

Team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila crashed out of sixth place this morning in another Focus RS WRC. They were able to continue and remain in a points-scoring position for Ford in 12th. The top six were covered by less than 30sec as competitors left the rally base in Pendik, on the eastern edge of Istanbul, this morning. They faced two identical loops of speed tests covering 145.82km near the Black Sea coastline. An already intense fight for supremacy at the top of the leaderboard was spiced up further as the route took advantage of new rules for 2010 allowing mixed surface special stages. Six of the eight tests contained both gravel and asphalt.



Hirvonen, third overnight, won the second test this morning to climb to second but returned to Pendik for the lunchtime service in third, 14.6sec from the lead. After a heavy impact on the left of the car, the team worked furiously to change the propshaft, rear differential, rear suspension and front left suspension to restore the Focus RS WRC to full health for the afternoon.

Hirvonen slid to fifth on the next stage as the leading drivers fought for every tenth of a second. However, victory on the same test as this morning promoted the 29-year-old to third, where he remained during the final two stages. A small hole behind Lehtinen's seat allowed dust to filter into the car and both driver and co-driver became caked in grit and sand as the afternoon progressed.
The mixed surfaces and rocky tracks meant drivers used various tyre changing options as they strived for the fastest strategy. Hirvonen remained tight-lipped about his choices but admitted: "It is so tight at the top that we drove flat out over big rocks. There were many in the road but the speeds were so high there was no time to react and drive around them. I thought I was going to puncture a tyre on every one but Pirelli's rubber has been amazingly strong.



"It was tough because the mixed surfaces meant the rhythm changed frequently. If I lost time anywhere it was probably on the asphalt. I had a lucky escape on the penultimate stage when I went off the road at a fifth gear corner on asphalt. The surface changed from dry to wet and I slid into the ditch, but luckily there was nothing to hit. I'm excited about tomorrow. I have a good road position and I want to go out and win. I'm really enjoying the close fight," he added.

Latvala rolled 1km after the start of this morning's opening stage. "The first corners were slippery so I was cautious. Then we came to a long, fast right bend over a crest, which was flat out in my pace notes. It tightened and the car started to slide. The rear left hit a bank and the impact pulled the front into a ditch and we rolled. The car ended on its roof and we couldn't open the doors to climb out. Spectators helped us out and pushed the car onto its wheels. My pace notes were too optimistic for the bend," he said.
Latvala continued but dropped nine minutes in the stage and more time in the remaining three tests as the turbo boost pipe was damaged in the crash. Latvala and Anttila worked alongside their mechanics to replace the pipe and fit a new cooling package to the front of the car in service, and the 25-year-old Finn climbed from 17th to 12th this afternoon.



"I concentrated on driving sensibly this afternoon. My aim is to climb into the top 10 to score drivers' points. I feel I've improved my driving on asphalt with gravel tyres. You must make a big change in style when the surface swaps from one to the other and I'm pleased with how I did that," he said.

BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson said: "There's everything to fight for tomorrow, and that's a good indication of how competitive the championship is. Both drivers progressed well with the mixed surfaces and I'm pleased with the way Jari-Matti responded after his accident. He and Miikka also did a great job working on their car at the lunchtime service. They have built cars and trained in the workshop in England, so when we needed them to take on jobs themselves they were well-prepared."



News from other Ford teams

Munchi's Ford drivers Federico Villagra and Jose Diaz lie seventh in a Focus RS WRC, one place ahead of Stobart M-Sport Ford's Matthew Wilson and Scott Martin. Wilson lost time this morning with a spin and then punctured a tyre on the final stage, dropping a minute. Team-mates Henning Solberg and Ilka Minor punctured tyres this morning and this afternoon but produced good times after returning under SupeRally rules following yesterday's retirement. They are 27th. Monster World Rally Team's Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino posted good stage times in their Focus RS WRC after also restarting under SupeRally, but slid off the road and became stuck on the final stage.

Tomorrow’s Route

The final leg is based closer to Pendik than the previous two days' competition. After restarting at 08.00, drivers face two identical loops of three stages north-east of the rally base covering 114.60km. They return for the finish ceremony at 16.11.



Leaderboard after Day 2

1. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 2hr 19min 13.5sec
2. P Solberg/P Mills NOR Citroen C4 2hr 19min 29.7sec
3. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 2hr 19min 30.8sec
4. D Sordo/M Marti ESP Citroen C4 2hr 19min 35.9sec
5. S Ogier/J Ingrassia FRA Citroen C4 2hr 22min 34.5sec
6. K Räikkönen/K Lindström FIN Citroen C4 2hr 23min 51.0sec
7. F Villagra/J Diaz ARG Ford Focus RS 2hr 24min 23.6sec
8. M Wilson/S Martin GBR Ford Focus RS 2hr 25min 30.1sec
9. O Tanak/K Sikk EST Mitsubishi Lancer 2hr 33min 47.1sec
10 D Kuipers/F Miclotte HOL Ford Fiesta S2000 2hr 36min 29.7sec

Bron | M-Sport

Stand na dag 2:

Hirvonen and Latvala well placed for Ford after Turkey Starter
An exciting opening leg of the Rally of Turkey ended with both BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team crews well-placed in a cluster of six competitors battling for top billing in this fourth round of the FIA World Rally Championship. Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen lie third in a Ford Focus RS World Rally Car, just 12.2sec from the lead, while team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila are 27.5sec from the lead in sixth.

The pace at the head of the field was blistering with average speeds topping 126kph this afternoon. It meant the six pairings traded tenths of a second and swapped positions on the leaderboard on every speed test. Three drivers, including Hirvonen, led the rally during the nine special stages covering 98.42km north-east of Istanbul, in what many regarded as a 'hors d'oeuvres' ahead of tomorrow's long and demanding mixed surface leg.



After five previous WRC encounters near Antalya in southern Turkey, the rally has moved to Istanbul, the world's fifth largest city, for 2010. Huge crowds packed the city's Sultanahmet Square yesterday evening for the start ceremony in the shadow of the famous Blue Mosque. After a boat trip across the Bosphorus River to return drivers and cars from the European side of the city to the Asian quarter where the rally is based, the action began in earnest today with two loops of four gravel stages close to the Black Sea coastline. The day ended with an asphalt test in the city, on the banks of the Bosphorus.

Hirvonen led after two stages before settling into third after the morning loop, just 3.0sec from the lead. The 29-year-old Finn maintained his consistent pace this afternoon to retain his top three spot. "I had a good day and I'm happy with my placing. I'm unsure what will be the best position in the start order tomorrow because I don't know if the early cars will sweep away the gravel, but third is certainly OK if they do. Anything is possible with such small time gaps between the leaders," he said.



"The morning stages were rocky and Pirelli's tyres did a great job. The speeds were so high that when you hit a rock you almost expected the impact to puncture a tyre, but that didn't happen. I expected it to be even rockier this afternoon but the stones were cleared during the first pass. I had much more grip and it wasn't as hard on the tyres," he added.

Latvala slotted into second after the opening two stages, as the BP Ford Abu Dhabi squad held the top two places. The 25-year-old Finn lost his rhythm on the next two tests to end the morning in sixth, just 12.6sec from the lead. He climbed to fourth during the afternoon, eventually ending the day in the thick of the six-car battle.

"I lost my rhythm after the first two stages this morning and didn't drive at my best," said Latvala. "There were rocks everywhere, even in the braking areas, and many drivers had problems so I had to be careful. Perhaps that was on my mind too much. This afternoon was better and I was happier with my performance. I dropped more time than I hoped but it means that I have a good start position for tomorrow, although it's difficult to say how much the roads will clean.



"Tomorrow will be tough. Most stages have both asphalt and gravel roads which will make it hard to find a good rhythm. Temperatures were warmer today then we expected and if it's the same tomorrow it will be demanding for the tyres. Anyone who pushes too hard on the abrasive asphalt could damage their tyres for the gravel and lose grip. I will need to be clever and not push all the time," he added.
BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson was pleased with the team's performance. "We're in a good position for tomorrow, which I believe will be an extremely challenging day. It has been a long time since a WRC rally contained mixed surface stages of the type we'll see tomorrow and it will be interesting to see how the drivers cope with the problems those tests will pose," he said.

News from other Ford teams

Munchi's Ford drivers Federico Villagra and Jose Diaz are seventh in a Focus RS WRC, two places ahead of Stobart M-Sport Ford's Matthew Wilson and Scott Martin. Wilson hit some rocks on the opening stage and dropped time this afternoon when he bent a steering arm, knocking his car's steering out of line. Team-mates Henning Solberg and Ilka Minor retired on the opening stage when they hit a tree stump and broke a steering arm. Ironically Monster World Rally Team's Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino retired in an identical incident at the same point. Both will return tomorrow under SupeRally rules.



Tomorrow’s Route

The second day is the longest of the rally as drivers face 145.82km of competition. Competitors leave Pendik at 09.00 and face two identical loops of four stages in a route which again heads north to the Black Sea coastline. Although predominantly gravel, six of the eight tests also contain asphalt and 75 per cent of the opening stage of each loop is on sealed surface roads. The gravel sections are expected to be rockier than today. Drivers return to Pendik for the final overnight halt at 19.43.

Leaderboard after Day 1

1. S Ogier/J Ingrassia FRA Citroen C4 55min 32.7sec
2. D Sordo/M Marti ESP Citroen C4 55min 38.2sec
3. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 55min 44.9sec
4. P Solberg/P Mills NOR Citroen C4 55min 51.2sec
5. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 55min 57.6sec
6. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Focus RS 56min 00.2sec
7. F Villagra/J Diaz ARG Ford Focus RS 57min 15.6sec
8. K Räikkönen/K Lindström FIN Citroen C4 57min 23.3sec
9. M Wilson/S Martin GBR Ford Focus RS 57min 37.3sec
10 O Tanak/K Sikk EST Mitsubishi Lancer 1hr 00min 31.8sec

Bron | M-Sport

Stand na 4e proef 1e dag:

Swift Exit for Stobart's Solberg:

The fourth round of the FIA World Rally Championship got off to a dramatic start in Turkey this morning as several drivers including Stobart M-Sport Ford Rally Team’s Henning Solberg encountered problems in the opening stage.



The newly located rally based in the Asian side of Istanbul includes 358km of competitive stage distance over 23 tests. The special stages will be fast, wide and rough - but the predominantly gravel route also contains almost 50km of asphalt which will undoubtedly prove tricky on roads the teams are not familiar with.
Last night saw the official ceremonial start to the sixth edition of Rally Turkey where the crews were greeted by thousands of enthusiastic WRC fans in the historical Sultanahment Square in the heart of Istanbul, between the famous Blue Mosque and Haghai Sophia. The event was attended by a number of influential ministers from throughout the region.



Henning Solberg’s Ford Focus RS WRC encountered problems after 13km of SS1 this morning as he hit a tree stump which resulted in a broken steering arm and early retirement from Day 1 of the rally. Solberg’s vehicle will be repaired this afternoon by his team and will hopefully re-enter the rally tomorrow morning under SupeRally regulations where he will try to catch up on some of the time lost from today.



Stobart’s Matthew Wilson also had a shaky start when his car veered wide on a sharp right-hand turn hitting two rocks and damaging the left side of his door but Wilson successfully completed the first four stages finishing inside the top ten. This afternoon will consist of the same four stages plus the exciting super special stage this evening where thousands of spectators are expected to be in attendance.



Stobart M-Sport Ford driver Matthew Wilson said:
“We ran wide on the first stage and hit a couple of rocks damaging the left side of the car which really knocked our confidence. The third stage was really good though and it felt things were working better but SS4 was very hard and so fast over the crests meaning we were more cautious. We’re going to change some of the pace notes for the second pass.”



Stobart M-Sport Ford driver Henning Solberg said:
“I usually drive well on fast gravel stages and to retire so early in the first day without even finishing one stage is very disappointing. The damage looks like it can easily be repaired so I look forward to restarting the rally tomorrow to make up for lost time today.”



Leaderboard after SS4

1. S Ogier/J Ingrassa FRA Citroen C4 27m15.2s
2. D Sordo/M Marti ESP Citroen C4 +2.1
3. M Hirvonnen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS +3.0
4. P Solberg/P Mills NOR Citroen C4 +7.4
5. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 +7.8
6. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Focus RS +12.6
7. F Villagra/J Diaz ARG Ford Focus RS +40.4
8. M Wilson/S Martin GBR Ford Focus RS +51.7
9. K Raikkönen/K Lindstrom FIN Citroen C4 +58.6
10.O Tannak/K Sikk EST Mitsibushi Lancer Pro +2:10.5
27. H Solberg/I Minor NOR Ford Focus RS +19m55s

Bron | M-Sport

terug overzicht WRC     terug naar begin