27.1.2008 - Hirvonen begins WRC campaign with podium in Monte Carlo
BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen produced their best performance on the legendary Rallye Monte Carlo to finish second when the tough four-day event ended in Monaco today. The Finns, driving a Ford Focus RS World Rally Car, have never claimed a podium position on this opening round of the FIA World Rally Championship in four previous starts but held a top three place from the very first kilometre.
Team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila finished 12th in another Focus RS after a troubled rally, with Abu Dhabi's Khalid Al Qassimi and Michael Orr taking 16th in a third BP Ford Abu Dhabi car. Both finished after restarting under SupeRally rules having retired earlier in the rally. Five Fords finished in the top 10 with Focus RS cars also claiming six, ninth and 10th.
The asphalt event comprised three days of competition in the Vercors and Ardèche mountains before today's final leg in the Alpes-Maritimes, high above the rally's traditional home in Monaco. The 19 speed tests covered 362.09km and while conditions were generally kind to competitors, patches of snow and ice lay in wait on exposed north facing slopes ready to trap the unwary.
Hirvonen claimed a secure third on the opening day before climbing to second yesterday morning. With no pressure behind and with no opportunity to chase down the leader, he eased through today's final five special stages, which included two passes over the famous Col de Turini and a spectacular test around the harbour area of Monaco's Formula 1 race circuit. He stepped onto the podium at Monaco's palace in front of Prince Albert with a 24.2sec advantage over third-placed Chris Atkinson.
"Second is a great result for me and a perfect start to the season," said 27-year-old Hirvonen. "I've never had a good rally here so to take a podium is fantastic and it almost feels as good as a win. I started the season how I wanted to with a good result. I didn't know what to expect from this rally but my plan for the year is to finish second if I can't win a rally. When I moved into second I eased off because I was under no pressure from behind. I was uncertain how the news tyres from Pirelli would work. They were good but it's up to me to be careful on the recce when making the pace notes."
BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson was pleased with the team's start. "There was a lot of pressure on Mikko but he filled the slot left by Marcus Grönholm and I'm impressed with the job he did. I couldn't have asked more in terms of the result. It was a steep learning curve for Jari-Matti but he has drawn experience from the weekend and will feel the benefit later in the season," he said.
Mark Deans, Ford of Europe's motorsport director, said: "To finish the most famous rally in the championship with five cars in the top 10 leaderboard was a great result for Ford. It sets the level that we must aspire to for the rest of the season, and I'm confident we can live up to that."
News from our Rivals
Sébastien Loeb (Citroen) clinched a record fifth Rallye Monte Carlo win, the Frenchman 2min 34.4sec ahead of Hirvonen. The final podium place went to Chris Atkinson (Subaru) after a thrilling final day battle with François Duval (Ford). Duval began the day 20.1sec behind the Australian and won three of the four mountain tests to start the final Monaco stage just 1.1sec behind Atkinson. Racing head-to-head, the duo set identical times to allow Atkinson to hold onto third. Petter Solberg (Subaru) and Gigi Galli (Ford) rounded off the top six. Eighth place for Per-Gunnar Andersson (Suzuki) brought a drivers' point and manufacturers' points for the team on its championship debut. Dani Sordo (Citroen) finished 11th to claim the final manufacturers' point. Toni Gardemeister (Suzuki) retired last night before the transit to Monaco with engine overheating problems.
Next round
The championship's only all-snow rally is next on the calendar for competitors when Karlstad hosts the Swedish Rally on 7 - 10 February.
Final positions
1. S Loeb/D Elena F Citroen C4 3hr 39min 17.0sec
2. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 3hr 41min 51.4sec
3. C Atkinson/S Prévot AUS Subaru Impreza 3hr 42min 15.6sec
4. F Duval/E Chevailler B Ford Focus RS 3hr 42min 16.7sec
5. P Solberg/P Mills N Subaru Impreza 3hr 43min 57.9sec
6. G Galli/G Bernacchini I Ford Focus RS 3hr 48min 03.5sec
7. J-M Cuoq/P Janvier F Peugeot 307 3hr 49min 41.8sec
8. P-G Andersson/J Andersson S Suzuki SX4 3hr 50min 36.5sec
9. H Solberg/C Menkerud N Ford Focus RS 3hr 52min 00.6sec
10 M Wilson/S Martin GB Ford Focus RS 3hr 53min 17.1sec
26.1.2008 - Hirvonen climbs to second as Monte Carlo Rally heads for home
BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen ended the penultimate day of Rallye Monte Carlo in second place following another strong performance in the French mountains. The Finns' consistent pace enabled them to climb from third this morning in a Ford Focus RS World Rally Car and they will start tomorrow's tricky final leg in the foothills of the Alps almost a minute ahead of their closest rivals.
Team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila were less fortunate in the second BP Ford Abu Dhabi-entered Focus RS. They were in a points-scoring ninth position, despite hydraulic difficulties this morning, before hitting a stone and breaking their car's suspension. They retired and hope to restart tomorrow's final leg under SupeRally rules.
The third day of this opening round of the FIA World Rally Championship was the longest of the event. It returned to the Ardèche mountains near the rally base of Valence, although the competition was further north than yesterday's action. After an early start, drivers tackled two identical loops of three speed tests covering 132.78km. Ice was a constant threat on the opening special stage in the half-light this morning, but temperatures quickly rose under clear skies and the huge crowds that flocked into the mountains enjoyed glorious winter sunshine.
Hirvonen kept the pressure on second-placed Dani Sordo throughout the morning and was rewarded when Sordo retired, allowing the 27-year-old Focus RS driver to climb from third to second. He maintained a consistent pace this afternoon to end the day 52.0sec ahead of Chris Atkinson in third.
"When I woke up this morning I was hoping that I could take second, but I didn't think it would happen like that," said Hirvonen. "Dani's retirement really helped me and I want to keep this position now because the two extra points for second would be good. I hoped to be closer to Loeb's pace but that wasn't possible here. I was happy with Pirelli's tyres, they worked well in the cold, dry conditions.
"There are still four more stages to come tomorrow so I will try to keep the car on the road and take no risks because I have a good lead over Atkinson in third. I don't have huge experience of tomorrow's stages and I can expect anything on the Col de Turini. There is usually snow, ice or fog at the top and it is dry then black ice will be a concern, so it will be a tricky day," he added.
BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson was full of praise for Hirvonen. "He drove superbly to keep the pressure on Sordo this morning and kept out of trouble to move into second" said Wilson.
News from our Rivals
Overnight leader Sébastien Loeb (Citroen) extended his advantage by winning four of the six stages and he journeyed to Monaco tonight with a 2min 10.6sec lead. The French team's hopes of a one-two finish ended when team-mate Dani Sordo retired with engine problems on the final stage of the morning loop. Chris Atkinson (Subaru) climbed to third, winning the penultimate test and stretching his advantage over François Duval (Ford) to 20.1sec. Petter Solberg (Subaru) is fifth with Italian Gigi Galli (Ford) moving into the top six. It was a good day for championship debutants Suzuki with Per-Gunnar Andersson moving into the drivers' points in eighth and Toni Gardemeister in 10th, despite a clutch problem this morning.
Tomorrow's Route
After a free transit section to Monaco this evening, the final day is based in the mountains of the Alpes-Maritimes, high above the Principality. After a 07.50 start, drivers face four tests, including two passes over the famous Col de Turini, before a short service break at Gilette. They then return to Monaco for a super special stage around the harbour area of the Grand Prix circuit. The finish is at the palace in Monaco in late afternoon after 66.65km of competition.
Leaderboard after Day 3
1. S Loeb/D Elena F Citroen C4 2hr 50min 38.8sec
2. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 2hr 52min 49.4sec
3. C Atkinson/S Prévot AUS Subaru Impreza 2hr 53min 41.4sec
4. F Duval/E Chevailler B Ford Focus RS 2hr 54min 01.5sec
5. P Solberg/P Mills N Subaru Impreza 2hr 54min 50.6sec
6. G Galli/G Bernacchini I Ford Focus RS 2hr 58min 18.5sec
7. J-M Cuoq/P Janvier F Peugeot 307 2hr 58min 58.5sec
8. P-G Andersson/J Andersson S Suzuki SX4 3hr 00min 10.6sec
9. H Solberg/C Menkerud N Ford Focus RS 3hr 01min 55.8sec
10 T Gardemeister/T Tuominen FIN Suzuki SX4 3hr 02min 02.2sec
25.1.2008 - Hirvonen closes on second place for Ford in French mountains
BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team ended the second day of Rallye Monte Carlo with both cars in points positions after tough competition in France's Ardèche mountains.
Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen remain third in a Ford Focus RS World Rally Car but the Finns have closed in on second place. Team-mates and fellow countrymen Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila recovered strongly to climb to ninth in another Focus RS after last night's time loss.
After yesterday's tough opening in ice, snow and darkness, today was much kinder to competitors. Higher temperatures removed any threat of ice and snow in the mountains south-west of the rally base in Valence and daylight offered easier conditions. Drivers tackled two identical loops of three speed tests, covering 116.96km in the region where the rally originally built its legendary reputation.
Hirvonen was third quickest on each special stage of this morning's opening loop to pull away from fourth-placed Chris Atkinson. This afternoon the 27-year-old was second fastest on two of the three tests to reduce the gap to second-placed Dani Sordo from 41.2sec to 26.2sec.
"I've not settled for third because second is possible and I will be close to full attack tomorrow," he said. "I was faster this afternoon and last year I was quick on tomorrow's stages, which are quite abrasive, so I will try my hardest. It won't be easy but I'm not giving up because there are still two days remaining in this rally.
"I'm still trying to learn Pirelli's tyres and that's not easy in these conditions. I thought the new tyre rules (which essentially restrict drivers to control rubber) would make the competition tighter and I'm closer to the leader than I was in 2007. I'm developing a better feeling with them and learning as I go on," he added.
BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson said the Focus RS cars had run faultlessly all day. "It was a much better day for Mikko and he has reduced the gap to Dani Sordo in second. I'm pleased Jari-Matti is in the points and if he continues at the same pace, I'm sure he can climb higher.
News from our Rivals
Overnight leader Sébastien Loeb (Citroen) won five of the six stages to extend his lead to 56.6sec over team-mate Dani Sordo, who fell back this afternoon after a broken front differential left him with two-wheel drive only. Behind Hirvonen, Chris Atkinson (Subaru) and François Duval (Ford) battled hard for fourth, the Australian eventually pulling out a 14sec advantage. Petter Solberg (Subaru) rounded off the top six, despite an engine problem on this afternoon's opening stage and stalling at the start of the next test. Gigi Galli (Ford) retained seventh despite losing a minute with a power steering problem on the final stage.
Per-Gunnar Andersson (Suzuki) incurred a 40sec time penalty leaving service this morning after a gearshift problem. He drove the morning loop using the manual gearshift system but set good times this afternoon to climb to 12th. Team-mate Toni Gardemeister (Suzuki) lost time all day after a mysterious problem left the Finn's car without full power.
Tomorrow's Route
Competitors return to the Ardèche again tomorrow, but this time the action is located north-west of Valence. After starting at 05.55, drivers face two identical loops of three stages with service in Valence dividing the laps. The six stages cover 132.78km, the longest day of the event. After the evening service in Valence, there is then a free transit section to take competitors on the 400km journey to Monaco in readiness for Sunday's final day of action.
Leaderboard after Day 2
1. S Loeb/D Elena F Citroen C4 1hr 36min 44.9sec
2. D Sordo/M Marti E Citroen C4 1hr 37min 41.5sec
3. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 1hr 38min 07.7sec
4. C Atkinson/S Prévot AUS Subaru Impreza 1hr 39min 13.5sec
5. F Duval/E Chevailler B Ford Focus RS 1hr 39min 27.5sec
6. P Solberg/P Mills N Subaru Impreza 1hr 39min 54.5sec
7. G Galli/G Bernacchini I Ford Focus RS 1hr 42min 06.0sec
8. J-M Cuoq/P Janvier F Peugeot 307 1hr 42min 12.8sec
9. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Focus RS 1hr 43min 40.7sec
10 H Solberg/C Menkerud N Ford Focus RS 1hr 43min 43.6sec
24.1.2008 - Hirvonen lies third for Ford after icy start to new WRC season
Ice, snow and darkness combined to provide a tricky opening to Rallye Monte Carlo tonight for the new-look BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team. Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen ended today's opening action in third place in a Ford Focus RS World Rally Car, while debutant team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila are 18th in a similar Focus RS after hitting a rock and stopping to change a wheel.
The opening round of the 2008 FIA World Rally Championship is renowned for its unpredictable road conditions and tonight's opening two speed tests in the Vercors mountains, east of the rally base of Valence, proved the point. Held on blisteringly fast and predominantly wide roads, most of the 45.70km of competition was on dry asphalt. However, snow thrown onto the stages from the side of the roads by spectators and icy patches made life difficult for drivers in the gloom.
With average speeds approaching 120kph, Hirvonen was third fastest on both stages to return to Valence for the overnight halt 44.0sec behind the leader. The 27-year-old Finn admitted to being cautious when he discovered ice on both tests.
"There was a lot of ice in the final 10km of the second stage and I had a couple of scares, so I took it steadily after that," he said. "I was worried about the damp patches and the black ice and had no confidence when it looked slippery, so I eased off too much. Although I may have lost the fight tonight, the main battle isn't over yet. Temperatures were -3ºC so it was hard to get heat into the Pirelli tyres but they worked well and I was pleased with them.
"There are three more days of rallying in daylight to come so that will be better and I will feel more confident. I'm sure I can go faster tomorrow when I have a clearer view of the conditions and can pick out the bad areas," added Hirvonen.
BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson reflected on the opening day of the new season. "I'm surprised Mikko dropped so much time on the second stage but it's good he knows where and how" he said.
News from our Rivals
World champion Sébastien Loeb (Citroen) opened a 12.7sec lead over team-mate Dani Sordo after they shared a stage win each. Sordo lost time on the second stage when he damaged his spotlights. Behind Hirvonen, Chris Atkinson (Subaru) headed François Duval (Ford) with Petter Solberg (Subaru) rounding off the top six. Duval had no information from his safety crew after their car broke down and he slid off the road several times on the opening stage, while Solberg spun on the same test. Toni Gardemeister (Suzuki) was eighth despite clutch and intercom problems, while team-mate Per-Gunnar Andersson broke a rear driveshaft on the opening stage and had to tackle the rest of the leg with front-wheel drive only.
Tomorrow's Route
The second day's action takes competitors into the Ardèche mountains, south-west of Valence, for two identical clockwise loops of three stages which are split by a return to the Valence service park. After an early-morning 06.50 start, they return to the town for the second overnight halt at 19.56 after 116.96km of competition.
Leaderboard after Day 1
1. S Loeb/D Elena F Citroen C4 23min 38.4sec
2. D Sordo/M Marti E Citroen C4 23min 51.1sec
3. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 24min 22.4sec
4. C Atkinson/S Prévot AUS Subaru Impreza 24min 37.0sec
5. F Duval/E Chevailler B Ford Focus RS 24min 51.9sec
6. P Solberg/P Mills N Subaru Impreza 24min 52.9sec
7. G Galli/G Bernacchini I Ford Focus RS 25min 04.5sec
8. T Gardemeister/T Tuominen FIN Suzuki SX4 25min 31.5sec
9. J-M Cuoq/P Janvier F Peugeot 307 25min 47.6sec
10 F Romeyer/T Fournel F Peugeot 206 26min 29.1sec
