22.8.2010 - Mikko Hirvonen suffered second retirement and no points in WRC Rally Germany

BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team duo Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila hailed a new found confidence on asphalt after scoring a solid fourth place finish in Rallye Deutschland today. The Finns, for whom sealed surface rallies are their least favourite, battled for a podium place in their Ford Focus RS World Rally Car throughout this ninth round of the FIA World Rally Championship.

Afterwards Latvala, winner of two gravel rounds this season, admitted: "This weekend I've been more confident on asphalt than ever before. It's not my favourite surface but I had a really good feeling here and I don't feel so concerned about driving on the surface any more. This is my best result in Germany and it has given me a big boost for the two remaining asphalt rounds this season."

The rally was based in Trier, Germany's oldest city. Three days of competition, the first and last among the tricky vineyard roads on the banks of the Mosel river, offered 405.67km of competition. The middle day was the most demanding, including two passes of the 48km Panzerplatte test in the Baumholder military training area. The road surface there varied constantly, from fast, smooth asphalt to broken concrete and huge kerb stones lined the tracks ready to trap the unwary.

The abrasive road conditions, combined with air temperatures that topped 30ºC yesterday, provided a tough test for Pirelli's PZero tyres throughout the 19 special stages.

Latvala held third for virtually the entire opening day. He extended his advantage over closest rival Sébastien Ogier yesterday morning until a spin on the first pass over Panzerplatte cost 20sec and a position on the leaderboard. The 25-year-old gave his all to regain the time loss but could not claw back the vital seconds on today's final leg, which ended with a speed test in the streets of Trier.

Hirvonen joined Latvala in the battle for the final podium position during the opening leg. The 30-year-old Finn was fifth, but just 9.8sec from third, at the end of the day. He struggled for confidence initially during the second leg before a set-up change improved his feeling. However, a broken input shaft in the transmission sidelined him on the penultimate stage. He returned for the final leg in eighth, but when the gearbox jammed in first gear on the morning's second stage he retired for good.

"I braked for a tight junction after a long straight and tried to shift down, but the gearbox stuck in third," said Hirvonen. "I managed to select first before it jammed in third again, which wasn't good on a stage with so many tight junctions. I found first and drove the remaining 9km to the finish but stopped on the liaison section to the service park. It wasn't linked to our retirement yesterday.

"I didn't have the confidence that I had here two years ago, especially in high speed corners. That started to improve yesterday afternoon but then I had the problem. I feel we're closer to the pace that we need to be at, but it's difficult to make that final step," he added.

BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson was pleased with Latvala's drive: "After the disappointment of the last asphalt round in Bulgaria, we came back well here. Jari-Matti's win in Finland relaxed him and it was positive for him and the team that he challenged for a podium here."

Ford of Europe motorsport chief Gerard Quinn said: "As in Finland, Jari-Matti showed his increasing maturity here. After the disappointment of losing third place yesterday afternoon, he continued to battle and was rewarded with his best asphalt finish for the team."

News from other Ford teams

Stobart M-Sport Ford's Matthew Wilson and Scott Martin finished sixth in a Focus RS WRC after an exciting final day fight with Kimi Räikkönen. The Britons edged out the Finn by 3.8sec. Team-mates François Duval and Denis Giraudet retired from fifth after a heavy crash yesterday while Monster World Rally Team duo Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino retired from ninth before the opening stage this morning with a broken alternator belt.

Next round

The championship heads to Japan next month for round 10 of the series, and the final event of the season outside Europe. Rally Japan will be held on gravel roads near Sapporo on 9 - 12 September.

Final positions
1. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 3hr 59min 38.3sec
2. D Sordo/ D Vallejo ESP Citroen C4 4hr 00min 29.6sec
3. S Ogier/J Ingrassia FRA Citroen C4 4hr 01min 51.6sec
4. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Focus RS 4hr 02min 12.2sec
5. P Solberg/C Patterson NOR Citroen C4 4hr 06min 26.0sec
6. M Wilson/S Martin GBR Ford Focus RS 4hr 08min 25.0sec
7. K Räikkönen/K Lindström FIN Citroen C4 4hr 08min 28.8sec
8. K Al Qassimi/M Orr UAE Ford Focus RS 4hr 17min 14.8sec
9. M Van Eldik/R Buysmans NLD Subaru Impreza 4hr 17min 31.3sec
10 P Sandell/E Axelsson SWE Skoda Fabia 4hr 17min 37.1sec

My older season 2010 rally news:
- 21.08.2010 - Latvala fights for podium as German battle warms up
- 20.08.2010 - Latvala heads Ford's challenge among vineyards of Mosel area
- 14.08.2010 - Ford looks to transfer high-speed win from gravel to asphalt
- 30.07.2010 - Mikko Hirvonen experienced his worst roll ever in WRC Finland
- 29.07.2010 - Rally Finland - after stage 1, Laajavuori
- 23.07.2010 - Hirvonen plans double celebration in Rally Finland speed fest
- 11.07.2010 - Ford Focus duo takes double points haul in Rally Bulgaria
- 10.07.2010 - Tyre choice the key as weather turns against Ford in Bulgaria
- 09.07.2010 - Ford duo shakes off asphalt rust as Bulgaria debuts in WRC
- 07.07.2010 - Ford's rally drivers put on the spot in football shoot-out
- 02.07.2010 - Summer ends for Ford as WRC switches to asphalt in Bulgaria
- 22.06.2010 - Ford's WRC team launches dedicated You Tube channel
- 20.06.2010 - Hirvonen and Lehtinen cruise to victory in Serbia Rally
- 30.05.2010 - Hirvonen takes a fighting fourth in Portugal after tense final day
- 29.05.2010 - Hirvonen remains optimistic as Portugal poses tough challenge
- 28.05.2010 - Portugal's roads provide tough times for Ford's WRC duo
- 21.05.2010 - Ford plans to prosper in Portugal's abrasive Algarve hills
- 09.05.2010 - Hirvonen fourth in Rally New Zealand after dramatic finale
- 08.05.2010 - Hirvonen in sixth place as New Zealand rally heads into last day
- 07.05.2010 - Hirvonen well-positioned in fifth after New Zealand opener
- 03.05.2010 - Ford's world rally stars make a splash in Auckland Harbour
- 30.04.2010 - New Zealand gravel rush excites Ford's Finnish drivers
- 18.04.2010 - Hirvonen nets podium for Ford in gruelling Rally of Turkey
- 17.04.2010 - Hirvonen embroiled in titanic tussle at the top in Turkey
- 16.04.2010 - Hirvonen and Latvala well placed for Ford after Turkey starter
- 09.04.2010 - Ford's quartet tuned up to strike the right note in Istanbul
- 03.04.2010 - Hirvonen suffered a dissapointed weekend in Rally Jordania
- 02.04.2010 - Hirvonen made a rare mistake and was forced to retire
- 01.04.2010 - Hirvonen lost time in first stage spun - 5th after first day
- 25.03.2010 - Mikko Hirvonen hunt for highs in Jordan's Dead Sea lowlands
- 07.03.2010 - Ford maintains world championship lead after Mexican double
- 05.03.2010 - Ford targets solid points finish after tricky second leg in Mexico
- 04.03.2010 - Dirt roads make the going tough for Ford challengers in Mexico
- 26.02.2010 - Hirvonen's centenary adds spice to Mexican independence fiesta
- 14.02.2010 - Hirvonen begins WRC season with victory for Ford in Sweden
- 13.02.2010 - Hirvonen extends Ford's lead in Sweden with tyre master stroke
- 12.02.2010 - Hirvonen opens WRC season in style to lead in Sweden for Ford
- 11.02.2010 - Rally Sweden - after stage 1, SSS Karlstad 1
- 07.02.2010 - Focus rally car begins final fling as Ford launches 2010 title bid
- 23.01.2010 - Hirvonen had a victorious Ford Fiesta S2000 test in Monte Carlo Rally
- 04.12.2009 - Mikko Hirvonen enters Monte Carlo rally with new Ford Fiesta S2000