01-02-2009

Einduitslag WRC Rally Ierland.

Hirvonen nets podium for Ford in WRC season-opener in Ireland,

BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen finished third on the opening round of the FIA World Rally Championship in Ireland today.

The Finns, driving a Ford Focus RS World Rally Car, overcame treacherous conditions after more than 48 hours of incessant rain flooded Rally Ireland's speed tests. It was the pair's 10th podium from the last 12 rallies.

Team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila recovered from a first day accident to finish 14th in their Focus RS WRC, sufficient to claim manufacturer points for Ford, which lies second in the standings. Khalid Al Qassimi and Michael Orr were eighth in the team's third car, as five Focus RS WRCs finished in the top 10. It was the Abu Dhabi's driver first-ever point.

The three-day rally was based in Sligo, in the Republic of Ireland, but the rally snaked its way back and forth across the border into Northern Ireland. The asphalt speed tests covered a mix of flowing mountain roads and bumpy, narrow farm lanes. But perhaps the biggest challenge was the weather as continuous rain during the opening two days left standing water in many places and forced the cancellation of two tests on Friday. Drivers tackled 17 special stages covering 327.28km.

Such was the state of the roads that for much of the rally Hirvonen and Latvala used Pirelli's Sottozero winter tyre to provide better grip. More accustomed to being used in snow and ice, the tyre pattern nevertheless provided excellent traction in the rain-soaked stages. Only when the rain stopped and blue skies appeared for today's final leg did the Ford drivers revert to the standard soft compound tyre.

Hirvonen settled into third on the opening leg and challenged Dani Sordo for second until a power steering problem yesterday morning ended his hopes of moving up. With a comfortable margin over his pursuers, 28-year-old Hirvonen elected to ease his pace and settle for third. Nevertheless he won four of five today's speed tests, including a spectacular stage through the streets of Donegal town which was broadcast live on TV, to take his tally for the event to five.

"This is the more difficult of the two asphalt events in the calendar and six points is a good start to the year," said Hirvonen. "I'm pleased with that but would have been even happier with more. Conditions were quite extreme with so much water during the opening two days. Today there wasn't so much water, but it was just as slippery because the roads were muddy instead of just wet. It's a shame about our power steering problem because it meant I couldn't fight with Dani to the end."

Latvala powered into the lead on Friday's opening stage but lost control of his Focus RS WRC on the next stage and hit a rock. The impact broke his car's driveshaft and track control arm and he was forced into retirement for the day. He restarted yesterday under SupeRally rules and concentrated on rebuilding his confidence, maintaining a steady pace to climb from 25th to 14th to take vital points.

"I've had an up and down weekend," he said. "I felt I let the team down on Friday because I came here to get good points and I only scored a few. But the past is the past, and I hope I have learned from it and don't get so excited when I'm leading in the future. This weekend was a good experience in difficult conditions and two points is better than none. After my accident I concentrated on driving cautiously but it's hard to generate the same kind of feeling in those circumstances."

Al Qassimi hit a tree on the opening day but was overjoyed to score his maiden WRC point. "I've been pushing hard all week and to score my first point in such a difficult rally gives me a lot of confidence. We're trying to put Abu Dhabi on the rally map and being the first United Arab Emirates driver to score a WRC point has always been one of the goals. I'm happy I've been able to keep progressing and justify the faith shown in me. Hopefully I'll win more points before the end of the season," he said.

BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson said: "Both drivers claimed fastest times on their least favourite surface and both have gained in experience and know-how in very difficult conditions. I'm pleased Jari-Matti fought back from his first day problems and delighted also for Khalid."

Ford of Europe motorsport director Mark Deans added: "This rally was all about maximising manufacturer points in an event which was less likely to favour our drivers. As we look ahead to the next round in Norway, I'm confident we can reverse that situation. To have five Focus RS WRCs finishing in the top 10 is a testament to its speed, strength and reliability. Of particular note was Khalid's impressive performance, securing his and his country's first WRC point."

News from our Rivals
After claiming the lead on the first afternoon, Sébastien Loeb (Citroen) was never headed and led home team-mate Dani Sordo by 1min 27.9sec, despite a scare on the penultimate stage when he briefly slid off the road. Behind Hirvonen, Chris Atkinson (Citroen) passed Stobart driver Henning Solberg (Ford) for fourth on this morning's opening stage. But the Australian slipped off the road for a minute in the penultimate test and allowed Solberg to regain the place. The top six was rounded off by 2008 JWRC champion Sébastien Ogier (Citroen). There were no major retirements today.

Next round
The championship moves to Norway later this month for the only true winter rally of the season. Rally Norway (12 - 15 February) is based in Hamar with the speed tests held on snow and ice.

Final positions
1. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 2hr 48min 25.7sec
2. D Sordo/M Marti ESP Citroen C4 2hr 49min 53.6sec
3. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 2hr 50min 33.5sec
4. H Solberg/C Menkerud NOR Ford Focus RS 2hr 54min 58.1sec
5. C Atkinson/S Prévot AUS Citroen C4 2hr 56min 17.6sec
6. S Ogier/J Ingrassia FRA Citroen C4 2hr 59min 09.7sec
7. M Wilson/S Martin GBR Ford Focus RS 2hr 59min 49.5sec
8. K Al Qassimi/M Orr UAE Ford Focus RS 3hr 02min 33.6sec
9. E Boland/D Morrissey IRL Subaru Impreza 3hr 03min 49.1sec
10 U Aava/K Sikk EST Ford Focus RS 3hr 04min 01.1sec

Drivers
1. S Loeb 10pts
2. D Sordo 8pts
3. M Hirvonen 6pts
4. H Solberg 5pts
5. C Atkinson 4pts
6. S Ogier 3pts

Manufacturers
1. Citroen Total 18pts
2. BP Ford Abu Dhabi 8pts
3. Stobart VK M-Sport Ford 8pts
4. Citroen Junior Team 5pts

Bron: M-Sport

31-01-2009

Verslag van dag 2 WRC Rally Ierland.

Hirvonen maintains third for Ford as deluge continues in Ireland:

BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen maintained their grip on third place during today's second leg of Rally Ireland.

After more than 48 hours of continuous rain the asphalt roads of north-west Ireland were soaked. However, the wet weather failed to wash away the hopes of the Finns who won this afternoon's long opening speed test in their Ford Focus RS World Rally Car.

Team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila climbed from 25th to 17th in their similar Focus RS WRC after returning to the action under SupeRally rules following yesterday's retirement. Khalid Al Qassimi and Michael Orr lie eighth in the team's third car, the Abu Dhabi driver on target for his first ever point in this opening round of the FIA World Rally Championship.

Today's action took drivers from the rally's Sligo base in the Republic of Ireland across the border into Northern Ireland, for two identical loops of three speed tests north of Enniskillen covering 133.36km. The narrow, bumpy lanes were awash with standing water and such were the conditions that the Ford trio opted for Pirelli's Sottozero winter tyre throughout the day – a pattern more accustomed to being employed in snow and ice.

Hirvonen was third on the opening stage but a power steering problem towards the end of the next test cost almost 20sec. The 28-year-old Finn was unable to make repairs before the final stage of the loop and dropped a further 30sec. Despite the time loss, he retained third as he returned to service in Sligo where mechanics replaced the power steering system.

"Five kilometres from the end of the stage the pump broke going into a corner," he said. "The car moved around a lot in the water and it was hard to 'catch' the sudden moves without power steering."

With realistic hopes of catching second-placed Dani Sordo gone, and almost three minutes in hand over fourth-placed Henning Solberg, Hirvonen took the sensible decision to ease his pace. Engineers reduced the power available in his Focus RS WRC to preserve the car's engine, which must be used in Rally Norway in two weeks.

"I had a good rhythm this afternoon, probably the best feeling I've had with the car all weekend. I could have driven quicker but it wouldn't mean anything with the large time gaps. There was a lot of standing water and I think the tyres worked well because the water cooled them down, closer to the temperatures in which they are usually used. Temperatures are falling quickly and it could be icy tomorrow which will make it tricky. The pressure will still be there," he said.

Latvala's target for the final two days was a cautious run to the finish to guarantee points for the team. He used the morning loop to rebuild his confidence before stepping up his pace this afternoon, ending the day with second on the final test, just 0.6sec behind the fastest time. Latvala made the set-up of his Focus RS WRC harder for the afternoon and the 23-year-old Finn was pleased with the extra stability.

"I started the day at zero but increased my speed as the leg went on," he said. "A year ago on my first rally with the team in Monte Carlo my times were a long way away from the fastest drivers, but I'm much closer here so I'm very satisfied. I've learned a lot about how to drive and brake in standing water. How can it rain so much? I've never driven in conditions where the car aquaplanes. There's so much water that the grip changes all the time. The main aim is to finish and regain my confidence so I'm not going to take risks in these conditions and I'll continue at a safe speed tomorrow."

Abu Dhabi's Khalid Al Qassimi and Michael Orr climbed to eighth in the team's third car, the pair recovering well after sliding into a tree yesterday.

"The stages were very unpredictable, but I have more confidence and I lifted my pace," said Al Qassimi. "They were very quick with lots of high speed sections and I spent a lot of time in fifth gear going flat-out, but I also enjoyed the twisty sections too. The fast sections were awesome and I felt like I was flying over the crests. I need to keep the right balance because I'm still learning my limits. I'm not re-evaluating my strategy. I'm focusing on a top 10 finish and if I end up in the points, then that's great."

BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson said: "Jari-Matti has boosted his confidence and has gone quicker as the day went on. Unfortunately Mikko couldn't take the challenge for second to Dani Sordo because of a power steering problem. I would like to get though the final leg tomorrow with no issues and keep Mikko and Jari-Matti in the points."

News from our Rivals

Sébastien Loeb (Citroen) extended his overnight advantage to 69.1sec, despite sliding off the road on the afternoon's opening test. The Frenchman won five of the six stages. Team-mate Dani Sordo retained second, although the Spaniard lost a few seconds when he stalled in the same stage. Behind Hirvonen, Stobart driver Henning Solberg (Ford) holds fourth, despite a front right puncture on the opening stage. Chris Atkinson (Citroen) upped his pace to climb to fifth ahead of team-mate Sébastien Ogier. Ogier slipped to eighth on the opening stage after going off the road and losing 1min 45sec, before regaining sixth this afternoon. Fifth-placed Conrad Rautenbach (Citroen) was the only major retirement when he slid into a ditch on the opening stage.

Tomorrow’s Route

The final day is the shortest with just 68.86km of competition scheduled. However, that has been reduced as the 27.90km Arigna stage, the longest of the rally, has been shortened to just 10.88km due to an unsafe bridge in the second part of the test. Drivers leave Sligo at 07.40 for five stages, including a spectacular short test through the streets of Donegal town, before the finish back in Sligo at 15.10.

Leaderboard after Day 2

1. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 2hr 20min 02.8sec
2. D Sordo/M Marti ESP Citroen C4 2hr 21min 11.9sec
3. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 2hr 22min 33.7sec
4. H Solberg/C Menkerud NOR Ford Focus RS 2hr 26min 00.2sec
5. C Atkinson/S Prévot AUS Citroen C4 2hr 26min 04.9sec
6. S Ogier/J Ingrassia FRA Citroen C4 2hr 29min 16.2sec
7. M Wilson/S Martin GBR Ford Focus RS 2hr 29min 54.1sec
8. K Al Qassimi/M Orr UAE Ford Focus RS 2hr 31min 52.8sec
9. E Boland/D Morrissey IRL Subaru Impreza 2hr 32min 43.2sec
10 A MacHale/K Duffy IRL Ford Focus RS 2hr 33min 43.2sec

Bron: M-Sport

30-01-2009

Het WRC Rally seizoen is geopend en is gisteren gestart in Ierland, waar Mikko Hirvonen een leuke start maakte. Helaas is de einduitslag iets anders geworden na dag 1.

Hirvonen steers a clean line to third in rain-lashed Ireland,

BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen made a strong start to the 2009 FIA World Rally Championship season by splashing their way to third on today's rain-soaked opening leg of Rally Ireland. The Finns overcame treacherous conditions to steer their Ford Focus RS World Rally Car into a provisional podium place on a day when torrential rain forced organisers to cancel almost 40km of competition due to flooding.

Team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila made a blistering start to lead the rally this morning, but aquaplaned off the road and into retirement on the second speed test. They will restart tomorrow under SupeRally rules in 26th position.

This opening round of the 12-rally campaign is based in Sligo in north-west Ireland and snakes its way through both Northern Ireland and the Republic. After last night's start ceremony in Enniskillen in the North, today's action was based in the mountains east of Sligo in the Republic, where six speed tests were held covering 125.06km. They comprised a mix of bumpy, narrow farm lanes and faster, flowing roads across moorland. The final two tests due to be held across the border in darkness this evening were cancelled as the roads were flooded.

While Hirvonen opted for Pirelli's standard soft compound PZero tyre this morning, such were the conditions that Latvala chose the Sottozero winter tyre for his Focus RS WRC. The rewards were instant and Latvala stormed through the opening Glenboy special stage more than 17sec faster than anyone else and a stunning 42sec quicker than world champion Sébastien Loeb.

Hirvonen quickly settled into third but reflected on some close escapes after the opening loop. "There was more water than I expected, so much that it was like driving through watersplashes, and I lost control completely in a couple of places," said the 28-year-old. "I wasn't so happy with my tyre choice. It was a 50-50 decision but I think the winter tyre would have been better.

"I hit a bump on the first stage and the impact damaged the light pod. It left the lights facing the wrong way and pointing straight at me through the windscreen. I couldn't see for the glare – but it took me about 5km before I realised all I had to do was to switch them off!" he added.

Hirvonen switched to the winter tyre this afternoon and consolidated third, 64.8sec from the lead and with a comfortable two minute advantage over fourth-placed Henning Solberg. "I was happier than this morning because I was more confident with the tyres. Considering it was 7ºC and the roads were soaking wet, they worked amazingly well for a winter snow and ice pattern. I lost a few seconds on the final stage when I almost overshot a junction and stalled the engine as I handbraked the car round.

"Dani Sordo is in my sights as he is just 20sec ahead. Tomorrow's stages are faster so I hope I can pick up time on him. It's a shame tonight tests were cancelled because I enjoy driving in the dark and it would have been exciting. I hoped to regain some time on him in those stages," added Hirvonen.

After his blistering opening stage, Latvala's day ended in the second stage. "I came into a fast left corner that tightened, with a bank on the outside," he explained. "The car snapped sideways in the water and I tried to correct it, but in doing so I was forced to cut and the front left of the car hit a rock. The impact threw the car across the road and into the bank. I drove 10km to the finish with two punctures. The front left track control arm was broken and although we tried to fix it with straps, they weren't strong enough. The driveshaft also came out but we were able to repair it. I'm so disappointed and feel I have let the team down. I should have been more careful."

Khalid Al Qassimi and Michael Orr hold 12th in the third BP Ford Abu Dhabi car. Al Qassimi lost a minute after sliding off the road on the afternoon's opening stage but was pushed back into the action by spectators. "I entered a muddy corner and was trying to keep the car on the line but it slipped out and I lost control. We were heading for some trees on my left but at the last second I pulled the handbrake and hit a tree side-on. I was doing about 50kph and if I'd hit the tree head-on at that speed the impact would have caused far more damage," explained Al Qassimi.

BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson reflected on a dramatic day. "It was the best start to an asphalt rally that I can remember with Focus cars holding first and second, but sadly it didn't last. Jari-Matti made an excellent tyre choice but was caught out in difficult conditions. His retirement put the team under pressure but Mikko responded well to hold third in what was a solid day," he said.

News from our Rivals

Sébastien Loeb (Citroen) struggled on the opening stage in heavy rain and darkness and was seventh. But the Frenchman was fastest on the remaining five stages to move into the lead this afternoon. He heads team-mate Dani Sordo by 44.4sec, the Spaniard complaining of throttle troubles on the final stage this morning. Stobart driver Henning Solberg (Ford) is fourth with team-mates Conrad Rautenbach and Sébastien Ogier (Citroen) rounding off the top six, despite Rautenbach puncturing a tyre on stage three. Chris Atkinson (Citroen) is seventh despite his bonnet flipping up and shattering his windscreen in stage three and then aquaplaning into a pole on stage six. Surprise of the day was Stobart driver Urmo Aava (Ford) who led after the morning loop before sliding into a ditch and retiring on the final stage. He will restart tomorrow under SupeRally rules.

Bron: M-Sport.

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