3.8.2008 - Hirvonen claims second for Ford after epic battle in Finland
BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen finished second in Rally Finland today after a thrilling duel with arch-rival Sébastien Loeb during the four-day event. The Finns' seventh podium in nine rallies this year preserves their lead in the FIA World Rally Championship driver standings and keeps Ford on top in the manufacturers' series with the record-breaking Focus RS World Rally Car.
Hirvonen and Loeb fought for every second over the blisteringly fast roller-coaster roads of central Finland. The gap between the duelling drivers never rose above 18.2sec over the 24 speed tests covering 340.42km, and despite Hirvonen's final day attack in the forest stages east of his home town of Jyväskylä, he ended this fastest round of the season just 9.0sec behind Loeb.
Finland is regarded as rallying's home and is one of the most specialised events of the season. Famous for its wide, hard roads and stomach-churning jumps, this year's rally also included several narrower sections to test the drivers. Precision driving and bravery are more important here than anywhere else as the fast roads offer little room for error. Such was the pace that average speeds topped 126kph and the fierce battle for victory left third-placed Chris Atkinson more than 3min 15sec adrift.
The battle produced a familiar pattern. As soon as one driver eked out a few seconds over his rival, the other would respond on the next stage to keep the margin stable. Hirvonen won six stages and relished the fight with Loeb, during which he made no mistakes despite constant on-the-limit driving.
"I'm pleased with my driving but I came here to win and Loeb found a few seconds more. We played cat and mouse all weekend and when I won a stage, he usually won the next. For there to be only nine seconds between us after all this crazy driving is amazing. I lost the time by not being brave enough in the narrow sections. It'll be difficult but we must now fight for the win on every round.
"It was a fantastic rally and an amazing fight and it's unfortunate I didn't win in front of my home fans. I pushed right to the end but it wasn't enough. I'm pleased to still lead the championship but one point isn't much. The speed was crazy. Sometimes we could have thrown our pace notes away and just gone for it and I've learned that I could have made my notes quicker," he added.
BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson said: "This wasn't the result we were looking for but having lost Jari-Matti so early, it made it more difficult for Mikko because he had to think about both championships. He delivered an incredible performance and learned a lot having to battle with Loeb for three days, which will make him stronger. They were 0.5sec/km quicker than the rest of the field and I think Mikko drove better than last year which is a big achievement."
Ford of Europe motorsport director Mark Deans said: "Tens of thousands of spectators packed the forests to see the action, while the service park in the centre of Jyväskylä provided great entertainment in itself for entire families and generate the kind of atmosphere for which Finland is renowned. Once again this rally has shown it is the championship's benchmark that every event must aspire to match."
News from our Rivals
Sébastien Loeb (Citroen) became only the seventh non-Finn to win the rally in 58 years. Behind the top two cars, Chris Atkinson (Subaru) completed the podium after extending his slender overnight advantage over Dani Sordo (Citroen). Stobart driver Henning Solberg (Ford) and brother Petter (Subaru) completed the top six. There were no major incidents or retirements today.
Next round
The championship returns to asphalt later this month for the first time since January's opening round. Rallye Deutschland is based in Trier on 14 - 17 August.
Final positions
1. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 2hr 54min 05.5sec
2. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 2hr 54min 14.5sec
3. C Atkinson/S Prévot AUS Subaru Impreza 2hr 57min 22.5sec
4. D Sordo/M Marti ESP Citroen C4 2hr 57min 36.4sec
5. H Solberg/C Menkerud NOR Ford Focus RS 2hr 58min 03.2sec
6. P Solberg/P Mills NOR Subaru Impreza 2hr 58min 09.6sec
7. M Rantanen/J Lönegren FIN Ford Focus RS 3hr 00min 16.6sec
8. T Gardemeister/T Tuominen FIN Suzuki SX4 3hr 02min 24.2sec
9. M Wilson/S Martin GBR Ford Focus RS 3hr 02min 42.8sec
10 C Rautenbach/D Senior ZIM Citroen C4 3hr 04min 36.4sec
2.8.2008 - Hirvonen still second in Finland as duel reaches new intensity
BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen maintained second place during today's second leg of Rally Finland after a titanic battle for the lead over the fastest and most challenging roads in the FIA World Rally Championship. The Flying Finns traded seconds with arch-rival Sébastien Loeb on every speed test to end the day 18.2sec off the lead in their Ford Focus RS World Rally Car.
The gripping duel drew tens of thousands of fans into the forests of central Finland for what is one of the most eagerly-anticipated days of the season. Such was the pace of the leading two drivers on what is affectionately known as the 'Finnish Grand Prix', that their closest rival is more than three minutes behind with just tomorrow's short day remaining in this ninth event of the 15-round series.
Today's 10 special stages covered 168.25km, almost half the rally's total distance. Based close to the town of Jämsä, south-west of the rally base in Jyväskylä, the action included some of the rally's legendary fast, wide roads and roller-coaster jumps, matched with new narrower sections. Cool temperatures but bright sunshine for much of the day dried the roads made wet by yesterday's showers.
Twenty-eight-year-old Hirvonen fought tooth and nail with Loeb as the two front-runners in the battle for the drivers' world title swapped seconds on every stage. The pattern became familiar. One driver would gain a few seconds, only for the tables to be turned on the following stage as the other driver hit back. Having started the day 14.4sec apart, Hirvonen reduced the gap to a fraction over 11sec with three stage wins, before the Frenchman extended his advantage on the final two tests.
"What an amazing day! It's been so enjoyable and the speeds were absolutely crazy. I was flat out everywhere, taking huge risks, and the pace today has been higher than last year. On one stage I set the record last year. This morning I was 10sec faster than that and then another seven seconds quicker on the second pass - and I still wasn't fastest. I followed Loeb's lines and I could see that he, too, was right on the edge. It's a fantastic fight and very intense," said Hirvonen.
"For every second I won, he took it back from me on the next stage. A lot can happen on tomorrow's fast stages but it will be hard to take that amount of time back on driving alone. Either I need some good luck or he needs some bad luck. A Frenchman on top of the podium in Finland wouldn't be good so I have to try to prevent that," he added.
BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson reflected on an enthralling day. "Jari-Matti took the chance to regain his confidence by winning stages which is good for the next round. Mikko drove at 100 per cent all day but unfortunately was unable to pull time back from Loeb. But it's not all over yet and it's going to be an exciting day tomorrow," he said.
News from our Rivals
Behind the leading two drivers, Stobart driver Gigi Galli (Ford) moved into third on the opening stage but rolled into retirement four stages later. Dani Sordo (Citroen) took over there but came under increasing pressure from Chris Atkinson (Subaru) this afternoon. After starting the day in seventh, the Australian overhauled Sordo on the final stage by just 1.0sec. Henning Solberg holds fifth ahead of brother Petter (Subaru), who overcame a clutch problem early this morning. Toni Gardemeister (Suzuki) had hydraulic problems this morning, causing the loss of power steering, which brought further pain to the Finn who is struggling with a shoulder injury. He is eighth. Team-mate Per-Gunnar Andersson (Suzuki) retired from ninth when he went off the road close to where Galli rolled. Munchi's driver Federico Villagra (Ford) rolled out on the penultimate test. Team-mate Luis Perez Companc retired following the final stage after a heavy collision with a rock which required co-driver Jose-Maria Volta to be airlifted to hospital for precautionary checks after experiencing pain in his ribs.
Tomorrow's Route
The final leg is a short, sharp affair. After leaving Jyväskylä at 08.20, drivers face just three stages east of the city covering 40.47km before the finish ceremony at 13.30. The opening stage at Lankamaa is the longest of the rally at 23.09km.
Leaderboard after Day 2
1. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 2hr 33min 43.5sec
2. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 2hr 34min 01.7sec
3. C Atkinson/S Prévot AUS Subaru Impreza 2hr 36min 47.1sec
4. D Sordo/M Marti ESP Citroen C4 2hr 36min 48.1sec
5. H Solberg/C Menkerud NOR Ford Focus RS 2hr 37min 15.1sec
6. P Solberg/P Mills NOR Subaru Impreza 2hr 37min 42.2sec
7. M Rantanen/J Lönegren FIN Ford Focus RS 2hr 39min 38.7sec
8. T Gardemeister/T Tuominen FIN Suzuki SX4 2hr 41min 12.1sec
9. M Wilson/S Martin GBR Ford Focus RS 2hr 41min 38.0sec
10 C Rautenbach/D Senior ZIM Citroen C4 2hr 43min 12.6sec
1.8.2008 - Hirvonen delights home town fans with fighting drive in Finland
BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen have been embroiled in a fierce fight for supremacy at the head of the leaderboard in Rally Finland today. The FIA World Rally Championship leaders hold second in their Ford Focus RS World Rally Car after a captivating duel with arch-rival Sébastien Loeb over the roller-coaster forest roads of central Finland. The difference between the two drivers after the first of three legs is just 14.4sec.
Team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila retired their Focus RS this morning after crashing out of third place on the third stage. The Finns will return to the action tomorrow under SupeRally rules after the team repaired the car this afternoon.
The rally burst into action last night with a short speed test on the edge of the rally's host city, Jyväskylä. But the competition began for real this morning when it moved into the dauntingly fast forests west of the city. Drivers tackled a further 10 stages covering a total of 131.70km, on roads that ranged from tight and narrow sections to fast, wide and hard forest tracks - littered with the stomach-churning jumps for which this rally is so famous.
A heavy shower just before this morning's start was just what Hirvonen wanted. The rain bound together slippery loose gravel on the road surface which had formed after several days' hot weather, providing the 28-year-old Finn with good conditions. Showers continued throughout the day, ensuring that start position, which so often proves a handicap to the early starters on dry gravel roads, had less effect than expected.
The day was dominated by the two front-runners, who completed a clean sweep of stage wins. Hirvonen, who celebrated his 28th birthday yesterday and lives in Jyväskylä, won three tests and was only twice outside the top two times as he fought tooth and nail with his rival. The pace was so hot on this fastest rally of the year that average speeds topped 126kph this afternoon.
"I enjoyed the fight, especially driving in front my family and friends," said Hirvonen. "The battle is almost as close as last year when I fought with Marcus Grönholm. This afternoon, especially, was good. I drove as hard as I could and made no mistakes. I'm a little frustrated that I couldn't do any more. I could have taken risks but that's something I didn't want to do. Road position wasn't an issue and I didn't let Jari-Matti's retirement affect me. I just tried to do the best job for myself and Ford.
"Everything is so close between us that I'm not going to take any gambles by changing the settings on the car. There are many new stages tomorrow so anything can happen on roads that we don't know so well," added Hirvonen.
BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson said: "I'm disappointed with Jari-Matti. He made a fundamental mistake in making his pace notes by not including the rock he hit. He put more pressure on Mikko, who has done an exceptional job from first in the start order. At the start of the day I felt if we could be within 15sec of the lead we would be in a good position tomorrow."
News from our Rivals
Sébastien Loeb (Citroen) held the advantage over Hirvonen from the start and claimed 10 stage wins, two shared with the Finn. Dani Sordo (Citroen), Urmo Aava (Citroen) and Stobart driver Gigi Galli (Ford) all held third, before Henning Solberg (Ford) completed a remarkable progression from 10th this morning to take third on the penultimate test. Galli lies fourth, ahead of Sordo, who spun on stage eight. Aava went off the road on the following test while Andreas Mikkelsen (Ford), who was also in the fight for third this morning, retired on the penultimate stage. Per-Gunnar Andersson (Suzuki) spun early in the opening test, dropping nearly 30sec, but recovered to eighth. Team-mate Toni Gardemeister is 10th, despite hurting his right shoulder after going off the road in stage seven.
Tomorrow's Route
The second day offers one of the most eagerly awaited challenges of the season. Drivers face 10 more stages covering 168.25km, almost half the distance of the entire rally. The route heads south-west towards Jämsä and includes some of the event's legendary sections of road, as well as some new, and narrower, stages. Drivers restart at 06.00 and return for the final overnight halt at 20.36.
Leaderboard after Day 1
1. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 1hr 04min 57.9sec
2. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 1hr 05min 12.3sec
3. H Solberg/C Menkerud NOR Ford Focus RS 1hr 05min 51.0sec
4. G Galli/G Bernacchini ITA Ford Focus RS 1hr 05min 54.1sec
5. D Sordo/M Marti ESP Citroen C4 1hr 06min 03.3sec
6. P Solberg/P Mills NOR Subaru Impreza 1hr 06min 35.7sec
7. C Atkinson/S Prévot AUS Subaru Impreza 1hr 06min 39.0sec
8. P-G Andersson/J Andersson SWE Suzuki SX4 1hr 07min 18.3sec
9. M Rantanen/J Lönegren FIN Ford Focus RS 1hr 07min 24.5sec
10 T Gardemeister/T Tuominen FIN Suzuki SX4 1hr 07min 25.1sec
31.7.2008 - Rally Finland - after stage 1, SSS Killeri 1
Thousands of fans packed the Killeri trotting track on the western edge of Jyväskylä this evening as the country that many regard as rallying's spiritual home presented a superb opening to this ninth round of the FIA World Rally Championship. Bright sunshine greeted the 99 starters as they made the short journey from the city and Killeri echoed to horsepower of a different kind as two cars at a time tackled the 2.06km gravel speed test.
Sweeping bends and a spectacular jump which threw the cars into the air drew the admiration of fans from all over the world who have travelled to Finland to watch one of the sport's classic events.
Birthday boy Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen were paired with Sébastien Loeb in the top heat of the evening. The BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team duo were edged out by just 0.4sec in their Ford Focus RS World Rally Car to set third fastest time overall.
"It was an enjoyable, fast stage but it was also a little scary because the test has been built with concrete and metal blocks so it was important not to damage the car," said Hirvonen, celebrating his 28th birthday. "For me the rally starts tomorrow and I didn't drive flat out because I have bad memories of retiring there in 2004, so I took it cautiously. There is always so much excitement on the opening stage of Rally Finland and it's great the event has finally started. I can't wait until tomorrow."
Leaderboard after stage 1 of 24
1. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 1min 20.5sec
2. D Sordo/M Marti ESP Citroen C4 1min 20.8sec
3= M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 1min 20.9sec
3= C Atkinson/S Prévot AUS Subaru Impreza 1min 20.9sec
5. P Solberg/P Mills NOR Subaru Impreza 1min 21.1sec
6. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Focus RS 1min 21.3sec
7. U Aava/K Sikk EST Citroen C4 1min 21.4sec
8. A Mikkelsen/O Floene NOR Ford Focus RS 1min 21.5sec
9. G Galli/G Bernacchini ITA Ford Focus RS 1min 21.7sec
10 H Solberg/C Menkerud NOR Ford Focus RS 1min 22.1sec
24.7.2008 - Home pride adds extra spark to Finland duel for Ford's Finns
Two Finnish pairings, one of which leads the drivers' standings in the FIA World Rally Championship, eager to claim a maiden victory on their home rally and one of the sport's classic fixtures, competing for a team that leads the manufacturers' title race - the scene is set for an epic contest as Rally Finland (31 July - 1 August) fires the second half of the 2008 campaign into life after a seven-week break.
Their rivals will ensure this ninth round of the series is not merely a straight contest between BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen and team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila, but the internal rivalry will be fierce. However, both pairings are also firmly aware that this event offers the opportunity to stretch Ford's nine point lead in the manufacturers' series with the record-breaking Focus RS World Rally Car.
Victory in Finland, the sport's spiritual home, is one of rallying's most sought after achievements and home drivers have a distinct advantage on one of the most specialised events of the season. Only six non-Finns have won the rally in 57 years, and huge crowds flock into the countryside amid the lakes and forests near the host town of Jyväskylä to cheer on their fellow countrymen.
It is based on blisteringly fast roller-coaster gravel speed tests and drivers who grew up on this type of road have a clear advantage over 'outsiders' who require several years' experience before they can hope to challenge for a win. Rally Finland boasts five of the six fastest rallies in history, the 2005 round topping the all-time list at a remarkable average speed of 122.86kph.
The wide, hard roads are as smooth as a billiard table but technically it is an incredibly difficult rally. Precision driving and bravery are more important here than anywhere else. The awesome stomach-churning jumps frequently hide bends over the crest, so accuracy and delivery of pace notes must be exact and picking the right line before 'take-off' ensures maximum pace through the following curves.
This will be the seventh appearance here for Hirvonen, who lives in Jyväskylä and will celebrate his 28th birthday on the day of the start next Thursday. Last year's second place is his best result. "I've stood beside these stages since I was a kid watching heroes like Markku Alen and Ari Vatanen driving. My family and friends will all be out watching and it would be a fantastic feeling to stand on the top step of the podium in front of them on the Sunday afternoon," said Hirvonen.
"But there are other drivers who are capable of preventing me from doing that. There is a little more pressure on me to win in Finland than on other rallies but it's nothing I can't cope with. I can't wait because it's the first time that I will start my home rally leading the championship. This rally is all about bravery, trust in the pace notes and accuracy. There is simply no room for mistakes," he added.
Latvala is just as eager for the action to start. "It would be special to win on home ground in Finland. Victory here is more highly regarded than in some other world rallies. It requires solid experience of the rally and I need to be able to drive flat out from start to finish without making mistakes. Anyone hoping to win needs to have completed the full rally - from start to finish - at least twice. I've done that and have started on three other occasions," said the 23-year-old. "I know parts of Saturday's new stages, some of which are narrower than the traditional wide roads used during the second leg. I feel very confident after finishing second in Turkey last month. I made mistakes in Argentina and Italy and had problems in Greece before that so the result in Turkey was a big relief. It gave me a real boost to fight with Mikko and Sébastien Loeb and take that confidence into the summer break. Our pre-event test has been moved closer to the rally, which is good because it will give me the right feeling to take into the rally after the summer," he added.
Team News
* As part of the sport's new regulations, BP Ford Abu Dhabi will have just one tyre pattern from Pirelli. The Scorpion gravel tyre 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.
* Nine other Focus RS cars are entered. Gigi Galli / Giovanni Bernacchini and Henning Solberg / Cato Menkerud are nominated for points by the Stobart VK M-Sport Ford team while Matthew Wilson / Scott Martin will drive a third car. Munchi's Ford World Rally Team has nominated Federico Villagra / Jorge Pérez Companc and Luis Perez Companc / Jose Maria Volta to score. Four other privately-entered Focus RS cars are also entered. Fourteen Fiesta ST cars will also start what is the third round of the Fiesta SportingTrophy International, nine of which are registered for the series.
* The team completes a four-day pre-event test in Finland today. Hirvonen completed the opening two days on Monday and Tuesday with Latvala taking over yesterday.
Rally Route
For the second year almost half the route is new, although the rally remains in its traditional central Finland base of Jyväskylä. Organisers have focused on ensuring the roads are durable enough for an entry boasting more than 100 cars. After the traditional Thursday evening super special stage at Killeri trotting track, Friday's action is based west of Jyväskylä. The major changes are centred on Saturday's second leg which contains virtually half the competitive distance. Traditionally regarded as the year's classic day of competition, it is again based on wide and flowing roads near Jämsä, but five of the 10 stages are new from last year. The awesome Ouninpohja, a roller-coaster section of road full of sweeping bends, blind crests and jumps and viewed as rallying's ultimate test of skill and bravery, will not be used for safety reasons, although parts of the stage are incorporated into another test. Sunday's final leg covers three tests east of Jyväskylä. Drivers face 340.42km of action in a 1461.58km route.
21.7.2008 - Rainy weather created trouble for Mikko Hirvonen in his summer gravel tests at Finland
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Video from my gravel tests at Finland |
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BP Ford Abu-Dhabi Rally Team WRC Finland pre-rally tests were re-scheduled due heavy rain which Mikko Hirvonen faced on Fords' first of four test days. Rain was so hard that team decided to continue the test and developement work in drier conditions.
- The special stage went so muddy that never in WRC FInland any special stage doesn't ever go to so bad condition. However we managed to find good setups if the conditions during the rally goes wet, told Hirvonen.
- As the miserable weather seems to continue we made a decision that my team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala tests on thuesday and wednesday. I'll be testing on Thursday. We wish to face dry conditions on wednesday and thursday so that we could test and develope our car on dry surface, Hirvonen continued.
WRC Finland starts on final day of July. Teams face a seasons' first rally which they have to use soft compound tyre - for the first time of this season.
- For the muddy test the tyre could be even softer. On morning I was able to test in better conditions and the tyre work very well.
WRC Finland includes 24 special stages which are to be run in the vicinity of Jyväskylä, central Finland.
Images from summer gravel tests, Uurainen (Finland)
