2.3.2008 - Ford stretches world championship lead in Rally Mexico
BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team increased its advantage at the head of the FIA World Rally Championship after a strong double points haul in Mexico today. The team, chasing its third consecutive manufacturers' world title, is 12 points clear with the Focus RS World Rally Car after Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila finished third in Rally Mexico and team-mates Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen claimed fourth.
Hirvonen retains the lead in the drivers' standings after this third round of the 15-rally series, the 27-year-old Finn ahead by one point. Latvala lies third, five points behind his team-mate.
This opening gravel event of the season proved a tough challenge and few escaped problems over the three days and 331.45km of competition in the mountains of central Mexico, near León. The high altitude speed tests, which climbed to more than 2700m, meant engines lost about 25 percent of their normal power in the thinner air while the rocky tracks proved a constant hazard for the unwary.
Hirvonen began the morning in fifth, after losing time through punctures on Friday and Saturday combined with being first in the start order and sweeping the roads clean of loose stones on the opening day. He was within striking distance of fourth and fastest time on the penultimate test moved him just ahead of Henning Solberg. He consolidated fourth on the final stage when the Norwegian struck trouble.
"I tried to catch Henning but when stage 18 was cancelled, I decided I didn't have enough kilometres left in which to do it," said Hirvonen. "I was lucky he had a problem and I'm glad to finish fourth and take good points after a difficult weekend. It just wasn't my rally unfortunately. Jari-Matti and Loeb were very fast and I couldn't reach their pace but I'll have to find that speed or say goodbye to the championship. I was unlucky with punctures but fourth is OK in the circumstances and hopefully this is the worst rally I'll have this year. Unfortunately I will be first on the road again on the next round in Argentina, but it feels good to be still leading the championship.
BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson said: "After what we encountered, we've come away with a great result which increases our lead in the championship. And for Mikko to still lead the drivers' standings after his problems is more than we thought we would achieve on Friday night. I'm pleased we showed the speed to lead the rally and that's promising looking forward to another high altitude event in Argentina later this month."
Ford of Europe motorsport director Mark Deans was equally happy. "This was the first gravel rally of the season and for the Focus RS WRC to prove its speed on what is the dominant surface of the year bodes well. Five Focus cars finished in the top seven and for BP Ford Abu Dhabi to maintain its lead in both championships after three rounds represents an excellent opening sector of the year," he said.
News from our Rivals
Sébastien Loeb (Citroen) paced himself through the final stages to claim his third consecutive Rally Mexico victory. The Frenchman finished 66.1sec ahead of Chris Atkinson (Subaru), who scored his best ever result, despite feeling unwell and only three hours' sleep. Behind the BP Ford Abu Dhabi cars, Henning Solberg (Ford) took fifth, the Munchi's driver losing fourth place after front right punctures on the final two tests. Stobart driver Matthew Wilson (Ford) rounded off the top six while Munchi's Federico Villagra (Ford) equalled his career best result in seventh. Petter Solberg (Subaru) claimed the final manufacturers' point in 12th, despite a front right puncture on the penultimate stage and a spin on the final test.
Next round
The championship remains in the Americas for round four when Villa Carlos Paz hosts the all-gravel Rally Argentina on 27 - 30 March.
Final positions
1. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 3hr 33min 29.9sec
2. C Atkinson/S Prévot AUS Subaru Impreza 3hr 34min 36.0sec
3. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Focus RS 3hr 35min 09.6sec
4. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 3hr 37min 08.6sec
5. H Solberg/C Menkerud NOR Ford Focus RS 3hr 38min 27.8sec
6. M Wilson/S Martin GBR Ford Focus RS 3hr 39min 58.8sec
7. F Villagra/J Perez Companc ARG Ford Focus RS 3hr 52min 32.9sec
8. R Trivino/C Salom MEX Peugeot 206 3hr 54min 47.2sec*
9. S Ogier/J Ingrassia FRA Citroen C2 3hr 58min 54.8sec
10 J Mölder/F Miclotte EST Suzuki Swift 4hr 00min 26.7sec
*subject to the result of an appeal
1.3.2008 - Rally Mexico bites hard but Ford drivers hold firm in top five
Despite setbacks for both cars, BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team ended the second day of Rally Mexico in a strong position as the only squad with both pairings in the top five on the leaderboard. Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila are third in a Ford Focus RS World Rally Car with team-mates Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen in fifth as this opening gravel encounter of the FIA World Rally Championship season continued to pose problems for the leading competitors.
Hirvonen restarted in fifth but quickly moved into fourth, without ever feeling truly happy with his performance. However, two punctures on the opening afternoon stage, one of which he stopped to change, cost almost three minutes. Caution was the watchword through the final four stages, with both spare wheels that competitors are allowed to carry in the car already used. He is just 15.9sec behind fourth-placed Henning Solberg.
"Early in the stage, there was a big rock on the inside of a fast right bend," he explained. "I couldn't avoid it and hit it with both right wheels. I immediately knew the front tyre was punctured and stopped to change it but didn't notice the rear puncture. It was only after a couple of kilometres more that the rear tyre started to slowly lose pressure. I had to be really careful in left corners and actually slid off the road at one point. Now my aim is to catch Henning for fourth tomorrow.
"I made some small changes last night and the car didn't slide as much this morning but I drove too cautiously. I was better than yesterday but I don't deserve a 'well done' yet. It was better not being first on the road but I started this morning with the intention of driving flat out and while I drove fast, improvements are still needed. I'm at the same pace as last year and it's not enough," he added.
BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson said Latvala's problems were 'unfortunate'. "He's still third and so many drivers have had problems that the rally isn't over yet. Mikko had a tough day but he made it back and will be out there battling again tomorrow," he said.
News from our Rivals
Fastest time on the opening two tests carried Sébastien Loeb (Citroen) into the lead. He won another three stages this afternoon to finish 61.4sec ahead of Chris Atkinson (Subaru). The Australian's only concern was a problem with the car's launch control system. Behind Latvala, Munchi's driver Henning Solberg (Ford) capitalised on Hirvonen's punctures to move into fourth, despite brake trouble on the opening test. Stobart's Matthew Wilson (Ford) climbed to sixth, despite spinning and stalling on the morning's final test. Dani Sordo (Citroen), competing under SupeRally rules after retiring yesterday, won two stages as he fought to climb into the manufacturers' points. The only major retirement was Petter Solberg (Subaru) who stopped after a broken driveshaft on stage 10 cost four minutes.
Leaderboard after Day 2
1. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 3hr 08min 39.8sec
2. C Atkinson/S Prévot AUS Subaru Impreza 3hr 09min 41.2sec
3. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Focus RS 3hr 10min 46.2sec
4. H Solberg/C Menkerud NOR Ford Focus RS 3hr 12min 31.4sec
5. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 3hr 12min 47.3sec
6. M Wilson/S Martin GBR Ford Focus RS 3hr 14min 50.4sec
7. F Villagra/J Perez Companc ARG Ford Focus RS 3hr 26min 54.1sec
8. R Trivino/C Salom MEX Peugeot 206 3hr 28min 10.9sec
9. S Ogier/J Ingrassia FRA Citroen C2 3hr 31min 10.6sec
10 J Mölder/F Miclotte EST Suzuki Swift 3hr 32min 42.7sec
29.2.2008 - Latvala turns heat onto rivals to lead Rally Mexico for Ford
BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila produced a performance as blistering as the Mexican weather to lead throughout the opening day of Rally Mexico today. Twenty-two-year-old Latvala, who became the youngest driver in history to win a round of the FIA World Rally Championship earlier this month, led from the opening kilometre in his Ford Focus RS World Rally Car to build a 9.6sec overnight advantage.
Team-mates and drivers' championship leaders Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen lie fifth in another Focus RS after the first of three days of tough gravel speed tests east of León, high in the hills of central Mexico. The Finns had the worst of the slippery road conditions this morning and a puncture this afternoon cost 40sec as they ended the day 1min 10.6sec behind their fellow countrymen.
Huge crowds packed the narrow streets of Guanajuato last night for the spectacular start ceremony of this third round of the championship and opening gravel event of the year. Music and dancing groups entertained the spectators before the 39 starters threaded their way through tens of thousands of fans as they made their way from this beautiful city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to the rally's León base.
The action began in earnest today as competitors tackled two identical loops of three speed tests, before two passes over a super special stage at León's race circuit - a total of 135.74km of competition. The rally is the highest of the season, today's action climbing to 2737m on hillsides awash with cacti and only briefly dipping below 2000m. The altitude took its toll on cars as the thinner air caused engines to 'run out of breath' and lose more than 25 per cent of their usual power.
The region has been blessed by dry and hot weather for some time, leaving a coating of loose stones on the surface of the gravel tracks above the city. Hirvonen and Latvala were the first two cars in the start order and as a result they endured the worst of the slippery conditions on the opening loop, sweeping the stones away to leave a cleaner and faster driving line for those behind.
Hirvonen was fifth on all three morning tests to hold fourth, 18.7sec behind his team-mate. However, a slow puncture on this afternoon's middle stage cost 40sec and one place.
"I don't know what I hit but I slid wide in a couple of corners towards some stones so maybe that was the cause," he said. "There was a crack in the wheel rim and slowly the tyre lost air before coming off the rim completely with about 3km to go. It was a slow puncture so I decided not to stop to change it and drove for about 15km like that. It was the right decision.
"It's annoying when your young team-mate is beating you, and it wasn't the car or my road position that was the reason why Jari-Matti is so far ahead of me. He's driven very well. The time gap between myself and Loeb is what I expected but the difference to Jari-Matti is far more than I thought. I need to find more speed tomorrow. This morning's conditions were as I expected. It was difficult in the braking areas and the loose gravel meant there was no traction accelerating out of the bends," he said.
News from our Rivals
After pre-event dramas yesterday when Sébastien Loeb's (Citroen) engine was changed before later being reinstalled, the Frenchman emerged as Latvala's closest challenger. He won three stages and is 12.8sec ahead of Chris Atkinson (Subaru), whose only concerns were a launch control difficulty this morning and a faulty intercom this afternoon. Team-mate Petter Solberg dropped 40sec this morning with brake problems but won two stages to lie fourth, 8.7sec ahead of Hirvonen. Henning Solberg (Ford) is sixth, despite hitting a rock on the second stage and bending his car's rear left suspension. He lost almost two minutes. Gigi Galli (Ford) slid into a ditch on stage three and dropped 90sec when lying fourth, before the Stobart driver retired on the next stage after hitting a rock and breaking a steering arm. He will not restart due to a damaged roll cage. Dani Sordo (Citroen) retired on the opening test with broken front left suspension after hitting a rock. Toni Gardemeister (Suzuki) lost more than 18min after limping through the morning with intermittent throttle response, before retiring in stage four with an engine problem. Team-mate Per-Gunnar Andersson retired from sixth in the mid-leg service with a similar problem and neither will restart tomorrow.
Leaderboard after Day 1
1. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Focus RS 1hr 23min 38.6sec
2. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 1hr 23min 48.2sec
3. C Atkinson/S Prévot AUS Subaru Impreza 1hr 24min 01.0sec
4. P Solberg/P Mills NOR Subaru Impreza 1hr 24min 40.5sec
5. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 1hr 24min 49.2sec
6. H Solberg/C Menkerud NOR Ford Focus RS 1hr 26min 22.2sec
7. M Wilson/S Martin GBR Ford Focus RS 1hr 26min 31.5sec
8. F Villagra/J Perez Companc ARG Ford Focus RS 1hr 29min 08.6sec
9. R Trivino/C Salom MEX Peugeot 206 1hr 31min 57.2sec
10 S Ogier/J Ingrassia FRA Citroen C2 1hr 32min 51.6sec
22.2.2008 - Championship leader Ford aims to cut loose on Mexican gravel
After establishing a strong early season lead in the FIA World Rally Championship on asphalt and snow, BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team journeys to North America next week for the first of seven consecutive gravel events. Loose surface roads are the dominant terrain in the series, hosting 10 of the 15 rounds, and so Rally Mexico (28 February - 2 March) will offer the best guideline to date for the season ahead.
The Ford Focus RS World Rally Car claimed a clean sweep of the podium positions in Sweden earlier this month with BP Ford Abu Dhabi on the top two steps. Combined with second place on the season-opener in Monte Carlo in January, the reigning world manufacturers' champion travels to this third round with a 10-point lead. Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen are six points clear in the drivers' table with Sweden winners Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila tied in second.
Ford is a major sponsor of the rally, which is based in León in the centre of the country. It is the first of three consecutive rounds outside Europe and is also the highest in the championship. Most speed tests are over 2000m and the first leg climbs to more than 2700m on hillsides awash with cacti and water crossings. The altitude takes its toll on cars as the thinner air means engines 'run out of breath' and can lose up to 30 per cent of their usual power.
The special stages are fast and flowing and average speeds last year topped 96kph. They are mostly hard-packed gravel, although some are sandier, and organisers worked closely with local authorities to build stages for the rally that also opened up new link roads for isolated villages.
Hirvonen, whose best finish in his three previous starts was third last year, will be first in the start order on the opening day courtesy of being championship leader for the first time in his career.
"First on the road isn't the best place to be in Mexico because there will be loose gravel and stones on the road surface," said the 27-year-old Finn. "It's better to be further down the order where the roads will be cleaner but I don't mind putting up with that if it means I lead the championship. I really don't want to start first on Saturday or Sunday though, and it will be interesting to see if tactics come into play at the end of the first day as drivers try to obtain a better start position for the rest of the weekend.
"Technically the roads are a mix. About 50 per cent is quite straightforward and the rest is more difficult. There are also plenty of stones on the edge of the road. In the past, with puncture-resistant mousse in the tyres, that wouldn't have been a problem but now it's something I have to think about more carefully. The altitude is the most difficult aspect because the higher the stages, the less power there is and sometimes when you need the power it isn't there. I will attack as hard as I can from the start. We had a good test last week and I was pleased with Pirelli's gravel tyre. I'm not concerned about punctures or tyre wear," added Hirvonen.
Team News
* The team prepared for the rally with a four-day test at Chateau Lastours in France following the Swedish Rally. It was the first opportunity for both Hirvonen and Latvala to test Pirelli's new gravel tyre. Each drove for two days, concentrating on tyre work and completing about 400km each with no punctures. They also tested some new development parts for the Focus RS.
* As part of the sport's new regulations, BP Ford Abu Dhabi will have just one tyre pattern from new partner, Pirelli. The Scorpion gravel tyre, which will make its competitive debut in Mexico, will be available in hard compound only. Because anti-deflation mousse is also outlawed this year, the Scorpion includes reinforced sidewalls to offer increased protection against punctures Teams are not allowed to hand-carve additional cuts into the rubber and each car can carry two spares.
Rally Route
Mexico was a late inclusion in the calendar following the withdrawal of Rally Australia. The route is virtually identical to 2007 with just a few small variations to some stages. It has the shortest route ever for a WRC event, covering just 830.83km with a remarkable 43 per cent of that being competitive. It is based in León, 400km north of Mexico City, with stages to the north and east. It is the highest round in the series, with the opening day's Ortega test climbing through cacti-filled mountains to a breathtaking 2737m. It begins on Thursday evening with a spectacular ceremonial start in Guanajuato, which last year was packed with more than 60,000 fans. The town is a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site, famed for its beauty and underground road network. The opening two days comprise two identical loops of three stages before two passes over a super special stage at León's race circuit. The track also hosts a double run on Sunday morning to bring the rally to a close. Drivers tackle 20 stages covering 353.75km.
