11 December 2009 – Newly-crowned Junior World Rally Champion Martin Prokop will drive the all-new Ford Fiesta S2000 next season in the first year of a long-term plan with Ford's rally machinery. The 27-year-old Czech will tackle seven rounds of the new FIA WRC Cup and S-WRC*, beginning with the opening rally in Sweden in February.
Prokop and co-driver Jan Tománek plan to use next season as a platform from which to step up to the primary WRC in 2011.
Prokop's Jipocar Racing team will prepare and maintain the Fiesta S2000 from its base in Jihlava, Czech Republic. There will be little time for Prokop to acclimatise himself to his new car as the team will receive the Fiesta S2000 just a couple of weeks before Rally Sweden (11 - 14 February).
"I decided to drive the Fiesta S2000 because it is a great, beautifully built car," said Prokop. "I like the way Ford organises its WRC campaign, as well as the fact it knows how to present its successes and effectively support its customer teams."
Prokop could become the first graduate of Ford's recently-completed ladder of opportunity, designed to take talented young drivers from the sport's grass roots to rallying's top tier.
"Ford has a clear vision of helping young drivers to climb the rallying ladder. It will be possible to convert a Fiesta S2000 to a new specification WRC car for 2011, which is ideal for me. I want to go ever-further as a rally driver, therefore I find this possibility of a smooth transition to WRC very appealing," he added.
"We are delighted to have the current Junior World Rally Champion in one of our cars," said M-Sport managing director Malcolm Wilson, whose company developed the Fiesta S2000 and is Ford's senior partner in international rallying.
"I'm pleased Martin has made the commitment to take the S2000 route in his career as it is the next step up from a J-WRC car. We're looking forward to working with him and giving him as much technical support as possible. We have had great interest in the Fiesta S2000 already and the S-WRC is looking to be an exciting championship for all the drivers involved next year," added Wilson.
Ford of Europe's senior motorsport manager Gerard Quinn welcomed Prokop to Ford's rally family. "I'm delighted that Martin has chosen a Fiesta S2000 for 2010. He has seen the opportunities available to talented young drivers via Ford's ladder of opportunity and I look forward to seeing him as a front-running challenger in the S-WRC next season," he said.
In addition to the S-WRC, Prokop and Tománek could tackle some rounds of the Czech Rally Championship in their Fiesta S2000. Under consideration are high-profile events like the Bohemia Rally and the Barum Rally.
Prokop isn't shy in sharing his ambitions for the season. "It won't be about collecting experience. We have driven enough world rallies to have higher ambitions. The crucial point for us is to learn quickly how to work with the new car. If we manage that, I'm sure we will be able to maintain our level from 2009 in S2000 next year. And this means fighting for the podium in each rally." he said.
The new-for-2010 FIA WRC Cup and S-WRC are both support series for the FIA World Rally championship. The FIA WRC Cup is for teams competing with S2000 cars. The S-WRC is a drivers' championship for competitors in S2000 cars. Teams and drivers can select seven out of 10 events in which to score points, of which two must be outside Europe.
FIA World Rally Championship runner-up Mikko Hirvonen will drive the record-breaking Ford Focus RS World Rally Car in the Race of Champions in China next week. The 29-year-old Finn, who missed out on a maiden world drivers' title by just a single point in Wales last weekend, will compete in both the ROC Nations Cup and the Race of Champions itself in Beijing's Bird's Nest Stadium – home to the 2008 Olympic Games.
The BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team driver will partner former team-mate Marcus Grönholm in the Finnish team in Tuesday's Nations Cup team event, before taking on stars from various motorsport disciplines in Wednesday's Race of Champions individual competition.
Rivals will include Formula 1 stars Jenson Button, Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel and David Coulthard, former 500cc motorcycle world champion Mick Doohan, Le Mans 24 Hour winner Tom Kristensen and X Games multi gold medallist Travis Pastrana.
Hirvonen will drive a variety of vehicles at his maiden ROC appearance, including the familiar Ford Focus RS World Rally Car which he drove to second place in Wales on Sunday. The car has now scored points on a record 119 consecutive world rallies, dating back to the start of the 2002 season. M-Sport, Ford's senior partner in WRC, has provided three white Focus RS WRCs, which will appear in a special Race of Champions livery.
"After the disappointing result of last weekend's Rally of Great Britain, I'm looking forward to the fun of the Race of Champions," said Hirvonen. "I won't have to worry about points and world championship positions in Beijing. But that doesn't mean I won't be taking it seriously. I'll be as keen to win as every other driver and it will be good to link up with Marcus again in the Finland team for the Nations Cup. Just like the old days!"
Hirvonen, co-driver Jarmo Lehtinen and Ford team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila will be at the inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this weekend as guests of one of the team's principal partners.
Also in attendance will be CMC's Ford of Europe motorsport boss Gerard Quinn and BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson.
(With thanks to Ford Motorsport)
How does it feel to be leading the championship with only one round to go?
It feels great but I have led the championship before. I've just not led it with only one event to go! I'm trying not to think about until the rally is over in
Are you feeling under pressure?
Not at the moment, no. It's just really exciting. I actually have a chance to win and I'm keeping my feet firmly on the ground. It will be a hard fight though, I'm not underestimating the job I need to do in
I started the season thinking I could do it. Then when we retired from
Has anything changed in your mind since last year?
Nothing has changed. I knew I could challenge him if we had perfect rallies and with one more year of experience and confidence behind us. We've driven some really good rallies this season. Even when he was winning events, we were right behind him in second place. I've challenged him on so many stages and I knew I could do it.
What have you been doing since Spain two weeks ago?
Immediately after the rally I did a passenger ride event for BP and Castrol in
We've tested in
If you had a choice of any event on which to challenge Loeb, what would it be?
It would have to be
Are you concerned at all about starting Rally GB first on the road?
No, not at all. It's not the sort of rally where there is a massive difference between running first, second or third on the road. If it's really muddy then first on the road is the best place to be and if it's dry and dusty then first is also best. So I'm happy with starting first.
Hirvonen named Rally Australia winner after late-night hearing
BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen have been named as winners of Rally Australia following a post-event hearing that imposed a one minute penalty on the Citroen C4 cars that filled three of the top four places.
The stewards of this 10th round of the FIA World Rally Championship received a post-event scrutineering report from the FIA Technical Delegate which stated that the front anti-roll bar link on the car of Sébastien Loeb did not comply with the homologation form of the car. Citroen agreed that the part was different from the homologation photograph, and confirmed that the cars of Dani Sordo and Sébastien Ogier were also fitted with identical parts.
The stewards imposed a one minute penalty on all three cars, promoting the Ford Focus RS World Rally Car of Hirvonen and co-driver Jarmo Lehtinen from second to first, and that of team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala from fifth to fourth.
It means that Hirvonen will start the penultimate round of the series in Spain next month with a five point lead in the drivers' standings over Loeb, while second-placed Ford has reduced the gap in the manufacturers' standings to 13 points.
"It's a shame that after such a thrilling battle for three days the result of the rally is decided in the stewards' room," said 29-year-old Hirvonen. "I suffered a points loss in Portugal two years ago, so I know how Sébastien, in particular, must feel tonight. This decision has a major effect on the championship standings and we now go to Spain with a five point lead."
Revised final positions
1. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 2hr 53min 06.5sec
2. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 2hr 53min 54.0sec
3. D Sordo/M Marti ESP Citroen C4 2hr 54min 11.1sec
4. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Focus RS 2hr 54min 58.5sec
5. S Ogier/J Ingrassia FRA Citroen C4 2hr 55min 29.8sec
6. M Wilson/S Martin GBR Ford Focus RS 2hr 58min 32.8sec
7. H Solberg/C Menkerud NOR Ford Focus RS 3hr 00min 24.3sec
8. F Villagra/J Perez Companc ARG Ford Focus RS 3hr 00min 45.9sec
9. H Paddon/J Kennard NZL Mitsubishi Lancer 3hr 08min 42.6sec
10 M Prokop/J Tomanek CZE Mitsubishi Lancer 3hr 08min 51.2sec
Drivers
1. M Hirvonen 78pts
2. S Loeb 73pts
3. D Sordo 50pts
4. J-M Latvala 36pts
5. H Solberg 29pts
6. P Solberg 25pts
Manufacturers
1. Citroen Total 133pts
2. BP Ford Abu Dhabi 120pts
3. Stobart VK M-Sport Ford 69pts
4. Citroen Junior 37pts
5. Munchi's Ford 21pts
Hirvonen tied in second as Rally Australia awaits last leg thriller
BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen are tied for second in Rally Australia tonight after an enthralling day in which frequently changing positions and late afternoon tactics set up an exciting final leg showdown tomorrow. Remarkably, just one-tenth of a second covers the top three cars after they jockeyed for position this evening in an attempt to secure the best starting slot to take advantage of favourable road conditions in the morning.
Hirvonen, who leads the drivers' standings in the FIA World Rally Championship in a Ford Focus RS World Rally Car, is tied with title rival Sébastien Loeb, just 0.1sec behind Dani Sordo. Team-mates and long-time leaders Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila are fourth in their Focus RS WRC, after bravely resisting the challenge of four drivers behind them for much of a marathon 15-hour leg.
Thirty-five of the original 40 starters left Kingscliff in northern New South Wales in darkness this morning for the second leg of this 10th round of the series. Ahead lay eight gravel speed tests in the Tweed and Kyogle shires to the south-west, before a final visit to the asphalt special stages in the streets of Murwillumbah that began the rally on Thursday. They faced 113.45km of action in total.
Hirvonen, lying fifth after the opening day, was quickly into his stride. He won the opening test to climb to third, despite swiping a mail box which punched a hole in a rear side window of his Focus RS WRC, before claiming a second win on the final stage of the loop. He took second this afternoon as he battled for supremacy with Loeb and, incredibly, he clipped the same mail box again - this time breaking a front side window!
Tactics came into play on the final country test, after which tomorrow's start order was calculated. With Hirvonen having already completed the stage, Loeb slowed before the finish, promoting the Finn into the rally lead. It means the Ford driver will be first to start and must play the role of road sweeper, cleaning the loose gravel from the surface to leave a cleaner and potentially faster line for those behind. Still the excitement wasn't over as the drivers fought for tenths of a second in the Murwillumbah tests, setting up a dramatic finale.
"It's so close, it is incredible," said 29-year-old Hirvonen. "The final leg is the longest of the rally, which is good because it means there are a lot of kilometres in which to fight for the win. I tried to push as hard as possible this afternoon, but I tried too hard because I made some small mistakes. I didn't want to be first on the road tomorrow but there was nothing I could do about it and it will be tough trying to win from that position if conditions are dry. However, if it is wet, it could be perfect.
"I had a very lucky escape on the second test this morning. I went off the road on a fourth gear left bend and the car went into the bushes. It bounced back onto the road without losing any speed, but if there had been a tree stump or a stone in there then I would certainly have rolled," he added.
Torrential early morning rain soaked the roads but was a blessing for 24-year-old Latvala. He was first in the start order and the wet gravel offered better grip for his Pirelli tyres than the slippery loose stones on the surface that they encountered yesterday in the dry. However, as the clouds cleared and the sun returned, the roads quickly dried and he had to endure the role of road sweeper.
Nevertheless, he held a slender 3.5sec advantage after the opening loop before finally ceding the lead this afternoon. Then, on the final country stage, he damaged a tyre after hitting a bank, dropping 45sec and leaving him just 1.8sec ahead of Sébastien Ogier.
"About 3km after the start I approached a long, fast left bend with a bump on the exit," he said. "I hit the bump and the car jumped sideways into the ditch. The rear wheel hit a bank and the impact pushed the tyre off the rim. I continued but about 5km from the end the tyre exploded, damaging the side of the car. I had enjoyed the day but it was a disappointing end. I suffered from sweeping the tracks this morning and it was harder being first on the road than I thought. The first stage was wet but the others were mostly dry and I couldn't find a rhythm. I lost time in slow bends because I slid wide too often."
Abu Dhabi's Khalid Al Qassimi and Michael Orr restarted this morning under SupeRally rules with a 40 minute penalty after retiring yesterday with broken steering. They climbed to 26th in their Focus RS WRC after an untroubled day.
News from other Ford teams: Stobart VK M-Sport's Henning Solberg and Cato Menkerud remain sixth in their Focus RS WRC despite a high-speed crash on the second stage. Their car slid into a ditch on a muddy 150kph left bend before hitting several fence posts. The impact smashed the windscreen and the Norwegians drove the final two morning tests exposed to the elements and wearing goggles. They lost 45sec but no places. Team-mates Matthew Wilson and Scott Martin are still seventh, after a troublefree day with Munchi's drivers Federico Villagra and Jorge Perez Companc in eighth.
Tomorrow’s Route: The final leg is the longest and toughest of the rally. After a 05.00 restart from Kingscliff, drivers make the long journey west of Kyogle for two loops of five speed tests covering 124.48km. The first four stages of each loop are repeated and the final test of the event, the 22.41km Repco, is broadcast live on television. Drivers have little respite in the event of problems, with just a brief 15-minute service in Kyogle between the loops. They return to Kingscliff for the finish at 16.04.
Two Citroëns in front ahead of longest day
With 23 stages and 220km of competitive action behind them, there is practically nothing in it between Dani Sordo, Sébastien Loeb and Mikko Hirvonen! The second leg concluded with Sordo in front, but the Spaniard is just one tenth of a second clear of Loeb and Hirvonen who are exactly level. The third and final day, which is also the longest of the event, promises to be the sort of thriller that no scriptwriter would have dared imagine…After a short night's rest, Saturday morning saw crews head back out to Kyogle, about 100km southwest of the Kingscliff service area. The day kicked off with a loop of four stages which included two particularly long tests, namely Dayco (SS16, 20.31km) and Bosch (SS17, 18.75km). The conditions for the first of these were made tricky by a heavy pre-dawn shower.
Bosch turned out to be drier, however, as Sébastien Loeb switched to maximum attack mode to collect his first fastest time of the rally. He followed that up with another best time on Armor All (SS18) to close to within 2.2 seconds of Latvala. The four-time World Championship was less in his element on the twistier Urliup stage, but that didn't prevent him from figuring in second place as he checked in at the lunchtime service halt: "Like yesterday, I pushed hard, but this time we've got a couple of fastest time to show for our efforts! We have altered the set-up of my C4 and it really is going well whenever there is plenty of grip."
Dani Sordo was in fifth place at this point, and slightly less enthusiastic than his team-mate: "I still don't feel perfectly comfortable, especially on the twisty stages like Urliup. Even so, we're still up there in the thick of the fight, and just 10 or so seconds down on second place. The second pass should go better for me."
After the half-hour break, crews went out for the afternoon's loop of six stages which included three of those contested earlier in the day, plus the weekend's last two visits to the super-special in the streets of Murwillumbah. Sébastien Loeb continued on his momentum to harvest three further fastest times and edge ahead after SS21. On SS23, however, he chose to lift with a view to handing the 'honour' of being first on the road to his rival: "It's not something I like, but the regulations force us to use this sort of strategy. It's frustrating to spend all day driving flat out only to end up dropping time purposely. At the end of the day, though, I think I'm in a good position going into the longest leg of the rally." Sébastien then profited from the day's two attempts at the super-special – which are not taken into account when establishing the following day's running order – to push hard in a bid to close the gap on Hirvonen, to the point that the two title chasers ended Saturday's action exactly level!
The fastest time on SS23 handed the overnight lead to Dani Sordo, just one tenth of a second ahead of Loeb and Hirvonen: "It's an incredible scenario! More than the fact that I'm leading, the most important thing about today was the confidence I felt at the wheel of my C4 WRC. Today's stages were superb and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Tomorrow promises to be a real thriller, both for us and the spectators. I hope I succeed in staying in the fight with Seb and Mikko."
Leaderboard after Day 2
1. D Sordo/M Marti ESP Citroen C4 1hr 52min 28.1sec
2= M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 1hr 52min 28.2sec
2= S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 1hr 52min 28.2sec
4. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Focus RS 1hr 53min 12.5sec
5. S Ogier/J Ingrassia FRA Citroen C4 1hr 53min 14.3sec
6. H Solberg/C Menkerud NOR Ford Focus RS 1hr 55min 10.5sec
7. M Wilson/S Martin GBR Ford Focus RS 1hr 55min 11.3sec
8. F Villagra/J Perez Companc ARG Ford Focus RS 1hr 56min 27.9sec
9. H Paddon/J Kennard NZL Mitsubishi Lancer 2hr 01min 44.1sec
10 M Prokop/J Tomanek CZE Mitsubishi Lancer 2hr 01min 57.4sec
Six of the best earns Latvala overnight lead in Rally Australia
BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila led Rally Australia after a tight day's competition in New South Wales today. The Finns took full advantage of favourable road conditions to win six speed tests in their Ford Focus RS World Rally Car and take an overnight advantage of 2.2sec in this 10th round of the FIA World Rally Championship. Team-mates and championship leaders Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen lie fifth in another Focus RS WRC. After 19 years in Western Australia, the rally has made the 3600km journey to the east coast for the country's first WRC round since 2006. Its new home at Kingscliff, in northern New South Wales, is close to the Queensland border and just south of the Gold Coast holiday area and Brisbane.
After two asphalt tests through the streets of Murwillumbah last night, today's action comprised two loops of special stages on gravel roads in the Tweed and Kyogle shires to the south-west. The day ended with another double pass through the street tests. Two stages were cancelled for safety reasons so competitors tackled 13 predominantly short tests, covering 84.13km, during this opening leg of the four-day event, and spent more than 14 hours behind the wheel today.
The day was a battle of the youngsters. Twenty-four-year-old Latvala, fifth after last night's tests, took the lead on this morning's second stage from Sébastien Ogier, 25, and traded tenths of a second with the Frenchman throughout the rest of the morning. He won three stages to return to the Kingscliff service park with a slender 1.1sec advantage. Latvala then won all three country tests this afternoon to extend his lead to 7.4sec, before Ogier pegged him back in Murwillumbah's streets.
"I enjoyed the advantage of a good start position, which meant much of the slippery gravel on the road surface had been swept away, but I'm still quite surprised to be leading," admitted Latvala. "I drove at 95 percent this morning and stepped that up to about 98 percent this afternoon. That was fast enough because any quicker and the car would have slid too sideways and cost me time. The grip level has changed constantly because after this morning's rain, some corners remained damp this afternoon.
"I hit a hole in the fourth stage which bent the steering on the left. I tried not to think about it, drove normally and it worked. The team replaced the cross-member at the lunchtime service. I didn't want to play tactics and sacrifice time this afternoon for a better road position tomorrow. It didn't make sense to give away time because the stages are so short that it would be hard to regain it again. I think it's possible for a driver to win this rally from starting first on the road but it wouldn't be easy," he said.
Hirvonen was first in the start order and enjoyed less favourable conditions. The slippery stones presented few problems on fast sections but were a disadvantage on the twisty stretches, as his Focus RS WRC swept away the gravel to leave a cleaner and faster line for those behind. Tellingly, he was quickest on this morning's second test at an average of more than 128kph, but dropped time on the final three stages of the loop, which were the slowest of the day.
He ended the morning fifth, having been third after his stage victory. Although he regained third this afternoon, he eventually ended the day just 0.1sec behind fourth-placed Dani Sordo and 0.9sec behind title rival Sébastien Loeb in third.
"There was so much loose gravel this morning that even on the straights the car was spinning wheels in places," said 29-year-old Hirvonen. "Considering how incredibly slippery it was, I'm pleased with my position and the time I've lost isn't so bad. My fight is with Loeb and nobody else and I kept my sights firmly on him all day. It was tough being the road sweeper but today is the most difficult of the three legs and the roads will be less slippery now. My goal was not to lose too much time and I don't think I did too badly."
Lehtinen is celebrating his 100th world rally start and was presented with a special Australia rugby jersey to commemorate the feat by former Wallabies captain and double World Cup winner Tim Horan during yesterday's pre-event test. Horan, who is in the area ahead of Australia's Tri-Nations Series game against South Africa in Brisbane tomorrow, also enjoyed a high speed passenger ride in a Focus RS WRC alongside BP Ford Abu Dhabi driver Khalid Al Qassimi.
Al Qassimi and Michael Orr held 10th in their Focus RS WRC until retiring in the seventh stage after striking a rock and breaking the car's steering. They will restart tomorrow under SupeRally rules. "Of course it is disappointing to withdraw now. I lost an afternoon on the new Australian surfaces, but will continue to compete tomorrow and do my best to recover from this early setback," said Al Qassimi.
News from other Ford teams: Stobart VK M-Sport's Henning Solberg and Cato Menkerud are sixth in their Focus RS WRC, despite hitting a post this morning and feeling unhappy with their car's set-up. Team-mates Matthew Wilson and Scott Martin are seventh. They spun this morning and Wilson admitted he was struggling with his confidence. Munchi's Federico Villagra and Jorge Perez Companc are eighth after a problem-free day.
Tomorrow’s Route: The second leg offers more than 15 hours behind the wheel. After leaving Kingscliff at 05.30, drivers journey south-west for a loop of four tests near Kyogle before returning to the rally base for midday service. Another loop of four stages near Kyogle precedes a third and final visit to Murwillumbah for two more passes through the street stage. Drivers return to Kingscliff for the final overnight halt at 20.55 after 10 stages covering 113.45km.
Loeb on the podium, with Sordo in his immediate wake
The first day of the 2009 Rally Australia lived every bit up to its promise as the top five locked horns in a thrilling fight. Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena are overnight third, while team-mates Sordo and Marc Marti figure just behind them in fourth place. These positions should enable the two Citroën crews to benefit from first class stage conditions when action resumes on Saturday.
Breaking with tradition, the opening day of the 2009 Rally Australia programmed no fewer than 15 stages, including two attempts at Thursday evening's show stage through the streets of Murwillumbah, plus a further 11 gravel tests on the Friday, followed by two further visits to the super-special. Paradoxically, the first day was also the shortest of the weekend, since only one of the stages exceeded 20km in length.
Following a cautious start to the event on Thursday evening, Sébastien Loeb decided to up his pace first thing Friday as competitors launched into the day's three, particularly fast opening stages near Kyogle, about 100km southwest of the service area. However, at the stop control of SS4 (22.41km), Seb's comments were somewhat guarded: "I don't feel totally confident in my car; maybe the set-up isn't ideal. And the engine isn't working as it should…" Happily, the problem wasn't serious; just a screw
caught in the accelerator pedal which had prevented the four-time World Champion from profiting from the full power of his C4 WRC. After recovering his confidence on the following tests, he went on to reach the service area in Kingscliff in fourth position: "The phenomenon of 'road sweeping' played a big role in the way the morning unfolded, especially on the short, twisty stages. It's tough for Mikko and me, as well as for those running behind us in the order…"
Dani Sordo's beaming smile at service suggested he was enjoying his day, as testified by his fastest time on SS5 (Kyogle 2) which confirmed that the Spaniard was on the pace: "'Road-sweeping' was a problem for me, too, and the stages are very slippery. Even so, I'm quite pleased with the way the weekend has started."
After the 30-minute service break, crews headed out for another, shorter loop which featured 25km less competitive action compared with the first. Both Citroën Total World Rally Team crews were keen to benefit from better stage conditions on the second day, so neither of them pushed to the limit. The start order for Saturday was dictated by the leaderboard as it stood before this evening's two attempts at the Murwillumbah super-special, at which time Dani was fourth, with Seb following in fifth spot.
After two strong runs through the streets of Murwillumbah, Sébastien was clearly happy to have completed the day in third place overall: "I have been basing my pace on that of Mikko, and everything has gone very well so far. Being third overall and fifth on the road is ideal for tomorrow."
"I'm pleased with the way the first day has gone," concluded Dani. "We changed the set-up of my C4 WRC for the second loop and I think we have found an excellent compromise because I was then able to push hard without taking any undue risks. Tomorrow, the nature of the rally changes completely and the second leg begins with a sequence of very fast stages. I think I should be able to keep up my momentum."
Leaderboard after Day 1
1. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Focus RS 53min 21.4sec
2. S Ogier/J Ingrassia FRA Citroen C4 53min 23.6sec
3. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 53min 44.1sec
4. D Sordo/M Marti ESP Citroen C4 53min 44.2sec
5. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 53min 45.0sec
6. H Solberg/C Menkerud NOR Ford Focus RS 54min 12.7sec
7. M Wilson/S Martin GBR Ford Focus RS 55min 03.8sec
8. F Villagra/J Perez Companc ARG Ford Focus RS 55min 26.0sec
9. C Rautenbach/D Barritt ZIM Citroen C4 55min 48.9sec
10 R Mason/S Mason NZL Subaru Impreza 57min 37.7sec
Rally Route:
The rally is based in Kingscliff, on the Tweed Coast, which will also host the service park. The stages will all be based in the Tweed and Kyogle shires to the south-west. Two passes of an asphalt super special stage around the streets of Murwillumbah begin the action on Thursday and will also end the competition on Friday and Saturday. The opening leg is the shortest, with much of the action based close to Murwillumbah, before Saturday's route takes competitors further west for stages clustered around Kyogle. The final leg is the longest, journeying west of Kyogle with a remote service based in the town's main street. A live TV stage ends the action before the finish back in Kingscliff. Drivers tackle 35 stages covering 344.72km of competition in a route of 1733.75km.
Ford's hat-trick hero Hirvonen bids to move on up Down Under
BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team takes its four-event winning run to Australia next week intent on strengthening its lead in the FIA World Rally Championship drivers' standings. Three successive victories for Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen in the record-breaking Ford Focus RS World Rally Car have propelled the Finnish duo into a three-point advantage ahead of a new-look Rally Australia (3 - 6 September). The rally returns to the series for the first time since 2006 and after 19 years in Western Australia, it has crossed the country to the east coast. Its new base is the small resort of Kingscliff in the far north-east of New South Wales, close to the border with Queensland and just a few kilometres south of the famous Gold Coast holiday region and Brisbane.
The Ford squad is surfing a wave of success after equalling the team's best ever winning run in the WRC last month. Victory for Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila in Italy preceded Hirvonen's hat-trick in Greece, Poland and an emotional home town success in Finland. Just three of the 12 rounds remain and the virgin rally territory of the Tweed region, home to the Aboriginal people for 10,000 years, and the Kyogle area, known as The Gateway to the Rainforest, will provide a tough challenge.
Drivers will only begin to develop an understanding of the characteristics of the gravel roads once the recce begins on Tuesday. However, BP Ford Abu Dhabi tyre engineer George Black visited the area last year to examine the nature of the speed tests. The average special stage length is the shortest in the series, reflecting the rally's proximity to populated areas where gravel roads are less frequent.
The tests vary greatly, ranging from narrow and twisty routes among trees near Kingscliff that are used during the first leg, to quick, wide and smooth roads further west where speeds are expected to be close to those experienced in Finland, the championship's fastest round. The most westerly roads, used during the final leg, incorporate narrow rainforest tracks. Each loop of stages has a mix of roads so selecting the best compromise set-up for the Focus RS World Rally Cars will be important.
Hirvonen claimed his first WRC win in Australia in 2006 but the 29-year-old Finn acknowledges that will count for nothing on new roads. "This is a brand new rally so I don't know what to expect," he said. "The roads in the west where I won in 2006 are different to those we will experience here. The tracks were covered in slippery marble-like stones but I understand these roads are more traditional gravel, which should suit me. I love Australia, the people are friendly and easy going - like me!
"It's a crucial rally for the championship. I will try to win but if I can't, then I must score as many points as possible. Zero points and the title fight could be over for me this year. I have a good record on new rallies, although I don't feel I do anything differently in either the recce or the rally itself. But I'll be happy if I can maintain that record," added Hirvonen, who hopes to help 40-year-old Lehtinen celebrate his 100th WRC start in style.
Latvala, starting his third Rally Australia, identified the arduous schedule as a key factor. Drivers must spend more than 14 hours behind the wheel during the first leg, over 15 hours on the second day and more than 11 hours on the usually short final leg.
"They are long days and it will be important to adapt quickly to the time difference after the flight there and sleep a lot to be ready for this rally," said Latvala. "Maintaining concentration will be harder than usual. In most rallies the stages are held in groups of three, but it's different here. The opening section on the first leg includes seven tests so it will be important to remain focused during the long liaison sections.
"Shorter stages usually mean the competition is close because it's more difficult to open big time gaps on short tests than it is on longer sections. The drivers' championship is looking set for an exciting finish and my job in Australia will be to score solid points to help Mikko maintain his challenge for the title," added 24-year-old Latvala.
Abu Dhabi's Khalid Al Qassimi and Michael Orr will drive a third Focus RS WRC for the team. Al Qassimi is eager to maintain the form that has seen the 37-year-old driver claim points on four occasions from six outings this year. "I am very much looking forward to the Australian east coast rally experience. The stages will be new to everyone, so we are all in the same position to give it our best shot and get the most out of the challenge. I have great confidence in my car and the team, so I just need to prove that I can perform on the unknown stages," said Al Qassimi.
Team News:
Tyre partner Pirelli will provide BP Ford Abu Dhabi with just the one regulation tyre pattern. The Scorpion gravel tyre will be available in hard compound only. Teams are not allowed to hand-carve additional cuts into the rubber and each car can carry two spare wheels.
Three other Focus RS WRCs will start. Henning Solberg / Cato Menkerud and Matthew Wilson / Scott Martin are nominated by the Stobart VK M-Sport squad while Federico Villagra / Jorge Perez Companc will drive for the Munchi's Ford team.
Citroen's kangaroo jump into the unknown
The tenth round of the 2009 calendar takes Citroën Total WRT to the other side of the planet for Rally Australia, a fixture which has switched to a new venue this year and which consequently represents virgin territory for the team and its WRC rivals. Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena will have just one aim during the new-look event, and that will be to return to their winning ways with a view to keeping their chances of scoring a sixth consecutive world title alive. Dani Sordo and Marc Marti are just as motivated and have demonstrated on several occasions recently that they are capable of rivalling with the world's best crews on every type of surface, a claim they will be keen to confirm in Australia.
Having been organised from 1989 until 2006 near Perth, on the west shores of the continent, this year's Rally Australia marks something of a revolution following its switch to New South Wales, some 3,600km from Western Australia. The host town for the new event is the small town of Kingscliff on the Tasmanian Sea coast. The event is consequently brand new for both Citroën Total World Rally Team's crews, just as it will be for their opponents, and Dani Sordo is eager for action to begin: "I always enjoy discovering new places. Australia is a dream for many because there are few destinations which are further away from Europe. I can't wait to get back behind the wheel of my car. Even though I've been enjoying myself since Rally Finland, I never tire of driving my C4! I only contested Rally Australia once when it was based in Perth, and I don't have a particularly fond memory of that because my gearbox broke on the first stage. I really don't know what to expect this time round, although I do know that the stages won't be carpeted with the small round stones which used to make the Perth-based event so difficult…"
As his podium finishes in Portugal, Argentina and Poland testify, the young Spaniard is now in a position to challenge the very best WRC drivers on the loose: "As usual, I will try to go as quickly as possible! Citroën has a lead of 14 points in the Manufacturers' World Championship standings and my objective in Australia will be to keep the same sort of gap in order to ease the pressure going into the last two rounds. Obviously, if the situation arises, I will also do all I can to help Seb in his bid to win the Driver's title…"
Sébastien Loeb won the 2004 Rally Australia and is targeting the same sort of result this year: "Our goal is to win, or at least finish ahead of Mikko Hirvonen. As the situation stands at the moment, the way the championship finishes is in my hands. If I win the last three rallies, I will be the World Champion. My mission will become somewhat more complex, however, if Mikko beats me just once!
This weekend's event promises to be extremely close because Mikko is particularly strong on fast gravel, especially when the stages are new to everyone. The way recce goes will be vital, not only in terms of the precision of our pacenotes but also regarding the quality of the information we are able to provide the team in order to decide on the best set-up for the start. I feel rested after the recent four-week break and I have nothing against this sort of relaxed rhythm, but it is always a little bit harder to get back into the swing after a month without driving competitively."
