FORD : VICTORY IN RALLY POLAND

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BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen took the lead in the Federation Internationale de L’Automobile World Rally Championship today after winning Rally Poland in a Focus RS World Rally Car.

It was Ford's third straight victory following wins in Italy and Greece and Hirvonen now heads the drivers' standings by one point with four rounds remaining.

The Finns led the rally for virtually the entire event, their winning margin 1min 10.3sec after three days of flat-out competition. Team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila were on course for second place in another Focus RS WRC, only to retire with the finish in sight after hitting a barrel and breaking his car's steering on the final speed test in the rally's host town of Mikolajki.

This was Poland's first appearance in the WRC since the inaugural championship in 1973. More than 200,000 fans welcomed its return by swamping the picturesque Mazurian Lake District, 250km from Warsaw in the north-east of the country, to watch the action. Narrow, sandy and blisteringly fast gravel roads challenged the drivers, who tackled 18 special stages covering 352.00km. Such was the pace that Hirvonen won Friday's penultimate speed test at an average speed of 129.44kph.

Hirvonen took the lead on the third stage on Friday morning and Latvala claimed second just one test later after Sébastien Loeb, Hirvonen's title rival, hit a tree stump and broke his car's suspension. The BP Ford Abu Dhabi duo withstood a determined challenge yesterday morning from third-placed Dani Sordo and measured their pace through today's final leg until the last stage drama.

"This has been the best rally of the season so far," said 28-year-old Hirvonen. "The roads here are fast and narrow and the crowds provided a superb atmosphere. It's the first time I have won two consecutive rallies and it has put me into the lead of the championship ahead of my home rally in Finland. The weekend was perfect from start to finish. After Loeb's mistake on Friday, I thought I might have an easy drive but it wasn't to be. I had to drive flat out yesterday to stay ahead and it's a fantastic feeling to win after such a great fight.

"I started this morning determined to go flat out through the first loop of stages. When I saw the split times of the guys behind me I knew they weren't pushing so hard, so I was able to drive more cautiously. Everything is possible now regarding the championship. I'm in the lead, so it's in my own hands over the final four rounds," said Hirvonen.

Latvala drove a faultless rally until his final stage error. The 24-year-old Finn relished the challenge of the fast and narrow roads and had provided perfect support to both Hirvonen's title bid and Ford's challenge for a third manufacturers' title in four years. However, it all went wrong on the second bend of the final 2.50km test.

"It was my mistake," admitted a distraught Latvala. "I wasn't driving too quickly but I turned into the bend too early and clipped an oil barrel which was full of sand. The impact broke the steering and I couldn't turn into the next bend and hit the barrier on the opposite side of the road. I've let down the team and damaged Ford's dream of winning the manufacturers' title this year."

A determined Latvala and Anttila tried to push the car to the finish of the stage and completed a whole lap before being forced to stop and retire.

BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson reflected on a bitter-sweet end to the weekend. "Mikko has been fantastic throughout. He drove superbly all weekend and thoroughly deserved to take his second win in a row. But I never expected to see what I saw on the final stage. I went to watch the perfect end of a perfect weekend but I can't believe what happened right in front of my eyes. It was heartbreaking to see such an excellent result slip away after both drivers did such a superb job for three days," he said.

Ford of Europe's motorsport manager Gerard Quinn said: "Three consecutive wins is a great reward for the efforts of the team over recent months. Mikko leads the championship going into his home rally and that will be a special moment for him. All our efforts are geared towards maintaining our momentum in Finland, one of the sport's great classics, next month."

HIRVONEN CLAIMS 2ND IN CYPRUS

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Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen finished second in the Cyprus Rally today as the BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team claimed a clean sweep of special stage victories during the final leg. The Finns won the opening two speed tests in their Ford Focus RS World Rally Car as they eventually finished just 27.2sec behind winner Sébastien Loeb in this third round of the 12-event Federation Internationale de L’Automobile World Rally Championship.

Team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila were fastest on the final stage as they recovered to 12th in their Focus RS WRC after spending more than 20 minutes stuck in deep sand on the edge of the road yesterday. That ensured a double points haul in the manufacturers' championship for Ford. Abu Dhabi's Khalid Al Qassimi and Michael Orr finished eighth in the team's other car to match their career-best performance.

The Cyprus Rally was the first mixed surface round of the WRC since 1996. To add to the challenge drivers tackled the opening day's slippery asphalt stages with Pirelli's gravel tyres fitted to their cars. Once the event switched to twisty and rocky gravel tracks high in the Troodos Mountains, torrential rain turned some sections into a mudbath. Conditions were so tough yesterday that the team removed 95kg of clinging mud from Hirvonen's car during the lunchtime service at the rally base in Limassol.

Hirvonen found it hard to adapt to driving on asphalt with a gravel set-up on his Focus RS WRC during the opening morning and ended the day in third, 60.2sec from the lead. Once the rally moved onto gravel the 28-year-old Finn felt more at home and beat Loeb on six of the remaining eight stages as he ate into the Frenchman's deficit. He moved into second yesterday morning and eventually finished 1min 22.2sec clear of his closest rival after 14 tests covering 332.07km.

"I lost my chance of victory on Friday morning because I didn't drive well enough," he said. "Once the rally moved onto gravel I was faster than Loeb and that's a big boost as there are now seven consecutive loose surface events to come. On the wet and muddy roads our pace was pretty much equal, but on the drier sections I was quicker and it's a shame that the heavy rain fell when it did.

"I made some small mistakes with my car set-up because I tried to be too clever. I will do things differently on the next round in Portugal. The last time I was in Cyprus I finished more than five minutes behind Loeb so to bring that down to 27sec is good progress," added Hirvonen.

Latvala was only 3.4sec behind Hirvonen when the 23-year-old Finn beached his car in sand on the inside of a corner on yesterday's second stage. He had to run 1km to find enough spectators to lift the car out and fell from fourth to 25th. He bounced back to set competitive times throughout the rest of the rally and his efforts were rewarded with two points for Ford in the manufacturers' championship.

"I was pleased with my speed this weekend but disappointed to make a mistake yesterday," he said. "This was my first time here so I'm happy to take away the experience of having driven all the stages. They were more difficult than I expected because there are so many changes in character but they weren't as rough as I thought. I've learned another lesson here and I want to deliver some solid results over the next few rallies on a surface I like."

Al Qassimi lost time with a niggling handbrake problem that meant he could not use it to slide his car around the tightest corners but was happy with his second points finish this year. "It was a challenging rally. I was pleased with my performance and it's encouraging to see I've lifted my pace," he said.

BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson reflected on the weekend. "I would like to congratulate Sébastien Loeb on the achievement of taking his 50th WRC win—but I've had assurances from Mikko and Jari-Matti that he will not reach the next landmark for a while! Mikko again did a fantastic job and while Jari-Matti's problem yesterday was disappointing, he came back to set competitive times and score points for the team."

Ford of Europe motorsport director Mark Deans said: "I welcome the organisers' brave decision to run a mixed surface rally. It brought an element to the WRC we've not seen for many years and the decision to use gravel tyres added further intrigue. The rally required real endurance from man and machine, with today's 40km stage requiring 53 pages of pace notes. That's indicative of its challenge."

Ford Duo Heads South for Marathon Cyprus Test Challenge

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BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen and fellow Finns Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila have completed one of the team's longest test sessions in recent years in Sardinia as preparation for the forthcoming Cyprus Rally (12 - 15 March).

The successful six-day test took place on roads around the town of Cagliarito the south of the Italian island, with each driver taking to the wheel of their Ford Focus RS WRC test car for three days. The long test is as a result of the Cyprus Rally this year being run as a mixed surface event – one day on asphalt, two days on gravel. FIA regulations state that teams are required to compete on all three days in gravel specification cars, giving the 20-strong test team a new challenge.

In order to find the right set-up, the test car ran in gravel specification with a lower ride height, similar to that of an asphalt car, and with stiffer suspension springs.

Latvala was the first of the pair to test the car on asphalt: "It's been a very good test and I'm satisfied with what we achieved. I've even had the chance to test the car on asphalt in dry and damp conditions because it rained on Thursday afternoon. This made the test road very slippery where I'd been cutting corners, but it could rain in Cyprusso that could be a positive for me," he said.

"I've learned that I'm going to have to brake much earlier because there isn't the same grip level with the gravel tyres on asphalt roads and the brakes are smaller. You also have to drive in a very straight line and be very neat and precise. It's been very hard on the brakes but the tyres have lasted well. We completed a surprising 240km on asphalt.

"We also had the opportunity to drive on gravel for 370km on two very different roads, one very rough and similar to Greek conditions and one very slow and technical and more like Cypriot roads. I feel confident that we're going to Cypruswith a good setup," he concluded.

Team-mate Hirvonen was second to get behind the wheel: "The test has been really positive for us. The temperatures in Sardinia were perhaps not as high as we're going to experience in Cyprusbut everything felt really good. The Pirelli tyres worked well on the asphalt roads which was encouraging. It's not the nicest feeling driving like this, but it's going to be a new challenge for everyone and interesting to see how fast we all are on Day 1. It's going to be hard on our brakes, but I feel we've done all we can do to prepare for it.

"We did a total of 650km in three days and 430km on some fairly rough and twisty gravel roads. The second road we drove on two years ago and we're a lot faster now. It's great to see how much we've improved. I'm really looking forward to the challenge we've got in two weeks," he added.

Limassol is the host town for the rally, third round of the FIA World Rally Championship.

Ford secures double podium in classic Norway snow spectacular

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BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team claimed a double podium finish in Rally Norway today after a gripping final day's action in the frozen forests near the Olympic city of Lillehammer. Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen finished second in a Ford Focus RS World Rally Car after an enthralling battle with arch-rival Sébastien Loeb that was only decided in the final kilometres. Team-mates and fellow Finns Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila were third in another Focus RS WRC.



Hirvonen's second podium in the opening two rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship season places the 28-year-old second in the drivers' standings, with Latvala fifth. Ford lies second in the manufacturers' table.



Norway is enjoying a spectacular winter and temperatures nudging -30ºC ensured the ice-packed roads were in perfect condition for a classic snow rally. Bone hard and lined by large snow banks, they encouraged drivers to attack. The tungsten-tipped studs in Pirelli's Sottozero tyres provided amazing grip as they cut into the deep ice base and Hirvonen clocked speeds of more than 200kph through the picture-postcard countryside.



Hirvonen led for much of the opening leg but could not shake off Loeb, who moved to the front and built a lead of 15.0sec by the end of the second day. Hirvonen retaliated during today's final leg and four wins from the first five speed tests reduced the margin to just 7.7sec ahead of the final 19.74km special stage. However, the deficit proved just too much and Hirvonen had to settle for second at the finish in Hamar, 9.8sec behind after 23 stages covering 360.90km of competition.



"This was the best winter rally I've competed on – and I have driven many," said Hirvonen. "It was fantastic to drive on the edge in snow and ice for three days, and to be involved in such a great battle. To be split by less than 10sec after more than 360km of competition says it all. The line between making a small mistake and being perfect at those speeds is so tiny and I couldn't have done any more. I took so many risks but we both had to do that because the competition was so close.



"I'm disappointed to be second. I lost the rally yesterday because I couldn't respond to Loeb's speed then. It wasn't the result I wanted but I'm glad that we went down fighting and it was a hugely enjoyable battle," he added.



Latvala claimed third early on the first morning and while the 23-year-old was unable to match his team-mate's pace, he was comfortably faster than anyone else and finished more than two minutes clear of the fourth-placed Focus RS WRC of Henning Solberg. During both the opening two legs Latvala could not find a good feeling with his car in the morning, but after softening the suspension settings in the afternoon, his pace increased markedly. With third place virtually assured, he adopted a risk-free policy through the final leg, but still overshot a junction on the last stage.



"I'm happy to score a podium but at the same time disappointed not to be able to fight for victory," said Latvala. "They are good points for myself and the team but my chances really ended on Saturday morning. I should have softened the suspension settings earlier so I can look in the mirror and see the reason why I didn't challenge the top two drivers. If I could start this weekend again, I would redo the mornings. The grip level was good then and I should have trusted that and taken greater advantage. I wasn't in a hurry today because there was no competition. I relaxed and enjoyed the driving."



BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team director Malcolm Wilson reflected on 'a great team performance'. "Mikko gave it everything, and for the result to be as close as it was is an indication of how hard both were trying. Jari-Matti had a solid weekend, and his pace yesterday afternoon when he won two stages, was encouraging. Both cars ran faultlessly all weekend and Focus RS WRCs won 11 of the 23 stages, so we can go away from here feeling confident," he said.



Ford of Europe motorsport director Mark Deans said: "On just its second appearance in the WRC, it has the makings of a classic and the close finish owed much to the great organisation. It was a thrilling spectacle for the thousands of fans who braved numbing temperatures in the forests and the small margin between the two drivers throughout the weekend augurs well for the year," he said.


News from our Rivals



Sébastien Loeb (Citroen) held off Hirvonen's determined challenge to claim his 49th victory. Behind the BP Ford Abu Dhabi duo, Stobart driver Henning Solberg (Ford) claimed fourth ahead of Dani Sordo (Citroen). Petter Solberg (Citroen) held off Stobart's Matthew Wilson (Ford) to take sixth. Sébastien Ogier (Citroen) lost more than two minutes after sliding into a snowbank but the Frenchman retained 10th. Five Focus RS WRCs finished in the top 10 with Stobart driver Urmo Aava completing the quintet in eighth. There were no major retirements today.


Next round



The championship's next stop is Cyprus, where Limassol hosts the Cyprus Rally on 12 - 15 March. This will be a mixed surface event, with the opening day on asphalt and the final two days on gravel.



Final positions

1. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 3hr 28min 15.9sec

2. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 3hr 28min 25.7sec

3. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Focus RS 3hr 29min 37.7sec

4. H Solberg/C Menkerud NOR Ford Focus RS 3hr 31min 49.4sec

5. D Sordo/M Marti ESP Citroen C4 3hr 32min 07.9sec

6. P Solberg/P Mills NOR Citroen Xsara 3hr 34min 41.3sec

7. M Wilson/S Martin GBR Ford Focus RS 3hr 34min 51.5sec

8. U Aava/K Sikk EST Ford Focus RS 3hr 35min 05.0sec

9. M Østberg/O Unnerud NOR Subaru Impreza 3hr 38min 16.4sec

10 S Ogier/J Ingrassia FRA Citroen C4 3hr 41min 05.7sec



Drivers

1. S Loeb 20pts

2. M Hirvonen 14pts

3. D Sordo 12pts

4. H Solberg 10pts

5. J-M Latvala 6pts

6. C Atkinson 4pts



Manufacturers

1. Citroen Total 32pts

2. BP Ford Abu Dhabi 22pts

3. Stobart VK M-Sport Ford 16pts

4. Citroen Junior Team 8pts

HIRVONEN NETS PODIUM IN WRC SEASON-OPENER

BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen finished third on the opening round of the Federation Internationale de L’Automobile World Rally Championship in Ireland.

The Finns, driving a Ford Focus RS World Rally Car, overcame treacherous conditions after more than 48 hours of incessant rain flooded Rally Ireland's speed tests. It was the pair's 10th podium from the last 12 rallies.

Team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila recovered from a first day accident to finish 14th in their Focus RS WRC, sufficient to claim manufacturer points for Ford, which lies second in the standings. Khalid Al Qassimi and Michael Orr were eighth in the team's third car, as five Focus RS WRCs finished in the top 10. It was the Abu Dhabi's driver first-ever point.

The three-day rally was based in Sligo, in the Republic of Ireland, but the rally snaked its way back and forth across the border into Northern Ireland. The asphalt speed tests covered a mix of flowing mountain roads and bumpy, narrow farm lanes. But perhaps the biggest challenge was the weather as continuous rain during the opening two days left standing water in many places and forced the cancellation of two tests on Friday. Drivers tackled 17 special stages covering 327.28km.

Such was the state of the roads that for much of the rally Hirvonen and Latvala used Pirelli's Sottozero winter tyre to provide better grip. More accustomed to being used in snow and ice, the tyre pattern nevertheless provided excellent traction in the rain-soaked stages. Only when the rain stopped and blue skies appeared for today's final leg did the Ford drivers revert to the standard soft compound tyre.

Hirvonen settled into third on the opening leg and challenged Dani Sordo for second until a power steering problem yesterday morning ended his hopes of moving up. With a comfortable margin over his pursuers, 28-year-old Hirvonen elected to ease his pace and settle for third. Nevertheless he won four of five today's speed tests, including a spectacular stage through the streets of Donegal town, which was broadcast live on TV, to take his tally for the event to five.

"This is the more difficult of the two asphalt events in the calendar and six points is a good start to the year," said Hirvonen. "I'm pleased with that but would have been even happier with more. Conditions were quite extreme with so much water during the opening two days. Today there wasn't so much water, but it was just as slippery because the roads were muddy instead of just wet. It's a shame about our power steering problem because it meant I couldn't fight with Dani to the end."

Latvala powered into the lead on Friday's opening stage but lost control of his Focus RS WRC on the next stage and hit a rock. The impact broke his car's driveshaft and track control arm and he was forced into retirement for the day. He restarted yesterday under SupeRally rules and concentrated on rebuilding his confidence, maintaining a steady pace to climb from 25th to 14th to take vital points.

"I've had an up and down weekend," he said. "I felt I let the team down on Friday because I came here to get good points and I only scored a few. But the past is the past, and I hope I have learned from it and don't get so excited when I'm leading in the future. This weekend was a good experience in difficult conditions and two points is better than none. After my accident I concentrated on driving cautiously but it's hard to generate the same kind of feeling in those circumstances."

Al Qassimi hit a tree on the opening day but was overjoyed to score his maiden WRC point. "I've been pushing hard all week and to score my first point in such a difficult rally gives me a lot of confidence. We're trying to put Abu Dhabi on the rally map and being the first United Arab Emirates driver to score a WRC point has always been one of the goals. I'm happy I've been able to keep progressing and justify the faith shown in me. Hopefully I'll win more points before the end of the season," he said.

BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson said: "Both drivers claimed fastest times on their least favourite surface and both have gained in experience and know-how in very difficult conditions. I'm pleased Jari-Matti fought back from his first day problems and delighted also for Khalid."

Ford of Europe motorsport director Mark Deans added: "This rally was all about maximising manufacturer points in an event which was less likely to favour our drivers. As we look ahead to the next round in Norway, I'm confident we can reverse that situation. To have five Focus RS WRCs finishing in the top 10 is a testament to its speed, strength and reliability. Of particular note was Khalid's impressive performance, securing his and his country's first WRC point."

NEWS FROM OUR RIVALS
After claiming the lead on the first afternoon, Sébastien Loeb (Citroen) was never headed and led home team-mate Dani Sordo by 1min 27.9sec, despite a scare on the penultimate stage when he briefly slid off the road. Behind Hirvonen, Chris Atkinson (Citroen) passed Stobart driver Henning Solberg (Ford) for fourth on this morning's opening stage. But the Australian slipped off the road for a minute in the penultimate test and allowed Solberg to regain the place. The top six was rounded off by 2008 JWRC champion Sébastien Ogier (Citroen). There were no major retirements today.

NEXT ROUND
The championship moves to Norway later this month for the only true winter rally of the season. Rally Norway (12 - 15 February) is based in Hamar with the speed tests held on snow and ice.

STAGE TIMES
Stage 15: 1. Hirvonen 6min 11.3sec; 2. Loeb + 1.0; 3. Sordo + 1.4; 4. Latvala + 13.7; 5. Atkinson + 16.7; 6. Aava + 19.6; 12. Al Qassimi + 38.4.
Overall: 1. Loeb 2hr 26min 15.1sec; 2. Sordo + 1:09.5; 3. Hirvonen + 2:29.9; 4. Atkinson + 6:17.8; 5. Solberg + 6:19.3; 6. Ogier + 9:46.5; 8. Al Qassimi + 12:27.4; 16. Latvala + 23:15.4.

Stage 16: 1. Loeb 6min 03.6sec; 2. Hirvonen + 0.1; 3. Sordo + 8.3; 4. Atkinson + 10.7; 5. Latvala + 11.0; 6. Solberg + 13.1; 11. Al Qassimi + 29.5.
Overall: 1. Loeb 2hr 32min 18.7sec; 2. Sordo + 1:17.8; 3. Hirvonen + 2:30.0; 4. Atkinson + 6:28.5; 5. Solberg + 6:32.4; 6. Ogier + 10:06.4; 8. Al Qassimi + 12:56.9; 16. Latvala + 23:26.4.

Stage 17: 1. Hirvonen 6min 27.0sec; 2. Loeb + 3.9; 3. Sordo + 9.1; 4. Atkinson + 16.9; 5. Solberg + 17.9; 6. Latvala + 18.4; 12. Al Qassimi + 47.1.
Overall: 1. Loeb 2hr 38min 49.6sec; 2. Sordo + 1:23.0; 3. Hirvonen + 2:26.1; 4. Atkinson + 6:41.5; 5. Solberg + 6:46.4; 6. Ogier + 10:27.5; 8. Al Qassimi + 13:40.1; 16. Latvala + 23:40.0.

Stage 18: 1. Hirvonen 8min 09.7sec; 2. Solberg + 3.5; 3. Latvala + 7.1; 4. Loeb + 14.4; 5. Sordo + 18.4; 6. Ogier + 31.8; 9. Al Qassimi + 40.2.
Overall: 1. Loeb 2hr 47min 13.7sec; 2. Sordo + 1:27.0; 3. Hirvonen + 2:11.7; 4. Solberg + 6:35.5; 5. Atkinson + 7:51.6; 6. Ogier + 10:44.9; 8. Al Qassimi + 14:05.9; 14. Latvala + 23:33.6.

Stage 19: 1. Hirvonen 1min 08.1sec; 2. Solberg + 0.8; 3. Latvala + 2.8; 4= Ogier, McNulty + 3.0; 6. Aava + 3.5; 10. Al Qassimi + 5.9.
Overall: 1. Loeb 2hr 48min 25.7sec; 2. Sordo + 1:27.9; 3. Hirvonen + 2:07.8; 4. Solberg + 6:32.4; 5. Atkinson + 7:51.9; 6. Ogier + 10:44.0; 8. Al Qassimi + 14:07.9; 14. Latvala + 23:32.5.

HIRVONEN TO 3RD IN RAIN-LASHED IRELAND

BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen made a strong start to the 2009 Federation Internationale de L’Automobile World Rally Championship season by splashing their way to third on today's rain-soaked opening leg of Rally Ireland.

The Finns overcame treacherous conditions to steer their Ford Focus RS World Rally Car into a provisional podium place on a day when torrential rain forced organisers to cancel almost 40km of competition due to flooding.

Team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila made a blistering start to lead the rally this morning, but aquaplaned off the road and into retirement on the second speed test. They will restart tomorrow under SupeRally rules in 26th position.

This opening round of the 12-rally campaign is based in Sligo in north-west Ireland and snakes its way through both Northern Ireland and the Republic. After last night's start ceremony in Enniskillen in the North, today's action was based in the mountains east of Sligo in the Republic, where six speed tests were held covering 125.06km. They comprised a mix of bumpy, narrow farm lanes and faster, flowing roads across moorland. The final two tests this evening due to be held across the border in darkness were cancelled as the roads were flooded.

While Hirvonen opted for Pirelli's standard soft compound PZero tyre this morning, such were the conditions that Latvala chose the Sottozero winter tyre for his Focus RS WRC. The rewards were instant and Latvala stormed through the opening Glenboy special stage more than 17sec faster than anyone else and a stunning 42sec quicker than world champion Sébastien Loeb.

Hirvonen quickly settled into third but reflected on some close escapes after the opening loop.

"There was more water than I expected, so much that it was like driving through watersplashes, and I lost control completely in a couple of places," said the 28-year-old. "I wasn't so happy with my tyre choice. It was a 50-50 decision but I think the winter tyre would have been better.

"I hit a bump on the first stage and the impact damaged the light pod. It left the lights facing the wrong way and pointing straight at me through the windscreen. I couldn't see for the glare—but it took me about 5km before I realised all I had to do was to switch them off," he added.

Hirvonen switched to the winter tyre this afternoon and consolidated third, 64.8sec from the lead and with a comfortable two-minute advantage ahead of fourth-placed Henning Solberg.

"I was happier than this morning because I was more confident with the tyres. Considering it was 7ºC and the roads were soaking wet, they worked amazingly well for a winter snow and ice pattern. I lost a few seconds on the final stage when I almost overshot a junction and stalled the engine as I handbraked the car round.

"Dani Sordo is in my sights as he is just 20sec ahead. Tomorrow's stages are faster so I hope I can pick up time on him. It's a shame tonight tests were cancelled because I enjoy driving in the dark and it would have been exciting. I hoped to regain some time on him in those stages," added Hirvonen.

After his blistering opening stage, Latvala's day ended in the second stage.

"I came into a fast left corner that tightened, with a bank on the outside," he explained. "The car snapped sideways in the water and I tried to correct it, but in doing so I was forced to cut and the front left of the car hit a rock. The impact threw the car across the road and into the bank. I drove 10km to the finish with two punctures. The front left track control arm was broken and although we tried to fix it with straps, they weren't strong enough. The driveshaft also came out but we were able to repair it. I'm so disappointed and feel I have let the team down. I should have been more careful."

Khalid Al Qassimi and Michael Orr hold 12th in the third BP Ford Abu Dhabi car. Al Qassimi lost a minute after sliding off the road on the afternoon's opening stage but was pushed back into the action by spectators.

"I entered a muddy corner and was trying to keep the car on the line but it slipped out and I lost control. We were heading for some trees on my left but at the last second I pulled the handbrake and hit a tree side-on. I was doing about 50kph and if I'd hit the tree head-on at that speed the impact would have caused far more damage," explained Al Qassimi.

BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson reflected on a dramatic day.

"It was the best start to an asphalt rally that I can remember with Focus cars holding first and second, but sadly it didn't last. Jari-Matti made an excellent tyre choice but was caught out in difficult conditions. His retirement put the team under pressure but Mikko responded well to hold third in what was a solid day," he said.

NEWS FROM OUR RIVALS
Sébastien Loeb (Citroen) struggled on the opening stage in heavy rain and darkness and was seventh. But the Frenchman was fastest on the remaining five stages to move into the lead this afternoon. He heads team-mate Dani Sordo by 44.4sec, the Spaniard complaining of throttle troubles on the final stage this morning. Stobart driver Henning Solberg (Ford) is fourth with team-mates Conrad Rautenbach and Sébastien Ogier (Citroen) rounding off the top six, despite Rautenbach puncturing a tyre on stage three. Chris Atkinson (Citroen) is seventh despite his bonnet flipping up and shattering his windscreen in stage three and then aquaplaning into a pole on stage six. Surprise of the day was Stobart driver Urmo Aava (Ford) who led after the morning loop before sliding into a ditch and retiring on the final stage. He will restart tomorrow under SupeRally rules.

TOMORROW’S ROUTE
The second leg is based in the Fermanagh lakeland area of Northern Ireland, north of Enniskillen. After leaving Sligo at 06.25, drivers face two identical loops of three stages, split by service in the town. They cover 133.36km of competition before returning to Sligo for the overnight halt at 18.03.

STAGE TIMES
Stage 1: 1. Latvala 12min 44.0sec; 2. Aava + 17.6; 3. McShea + 27.1; 4. Hirvonen + 31.5; 5. Sordo + 32.7; 6. Solberg + 35.9; 11. Al Qassimi + 59.6.
Stage 2: 1. Loeb 8min 31.5sec; 2. Aava + 2.4; 3. Hirvonen + 16.1; 4. Sordo + 17.8; 5. Solberg + 21.7; 6. Al Qassimi + 24.4; 29. Latvala + 1:52.2.
Overall: 1. Aava 21min 35.5sec; 2. Loeb + 22.0; 3. Hirvonen + 27.6; 4. Sordo + 30.5; 5. McShea + 32.8; 6. Solberg + 37.6; 10. Al Qassimi + 1:04.0; 14. Latvala + 1:32.2.

Stage 3: 1. Loeb 14min 35.2sec; 2. Aava + 15.3; 3. Hirvonen + 18.6; 4. Sordo + 21.7; 5. Solberg + 33.1; 6. Rautenbach + 41.0; 11. Al Qassimi + 1:21.8.
Overall: 1. Aava 36min 26.0sec; 2. Loeb + 6.7; 3. Hirvonen + 30.9; 4. Sordo + 36.9; 5. Solberg + 55.4; 6. Rautenbach + 1:26.2; 10. Al Qassimi + 2:10.5.

Stage 4: 1. Loeb 11min 37.4sec; 2. Sordo + 2.0; 3. Hirvonen + 10.0; 4. Atkinson + 29.8; 5. Aava + 38.5; 6. Solberg + 42.1; 20. Al Qassimi + 2:17.1.
Overall: 1. Loeb 48min 10.1sec; 2. Aava + 31.8; 3. Sordo + 32.2; 4. Hirvonen + 34.2; 5. Solberg + 1:30.8; 6. Rautenbach + 2:28.3; 13. Al Qassimi + 4:20.9.

Stage 5: 1. Loeb 7min 40.5sec; 2. Sordo + 8.3; 3. Hirvonen + 11.5; 4. Atkinson + 20.0; 5. Aava + 28.4; 6. Ogier + 30.2; 11. Al Qassimi + 56.6.
Overall: 1. Loeb 55min 50.6sec; 2. Sordo + 40.5; 3. Hirvonen + 45.7; 4. Aava + 1:00.2; 5. Solberg + 2:16.6; 6. Rautenbach + 3:09.2; 12. Al Qassimi + 5:17.5.

Stage 6: 1. Loeb 13min 44.6sec; 2. Sordo + 3.9; 3. Hirvonen + 19.1; 4. Ogier + 47.0; 5. Solberg + 52.8; 6= Wilson, Rautenbach + 1:09.1; 10. Al Qassimi + 1:43.8.
Overall: 1. Loeb 1hr 09min 35.2sec; 2. Sordo + 44.4; 3. Hirvonen + 1:04.8; 4. Solberg + 3:09.4; 5. Rautenbach + 4:18.3; 6. Ogier + 4:23.2; 12. Al Qassimi + 7:01.3.

Stage 7: Cancelled

Stage 8: Cancelled

FORD'S BRIGHT SPARKS EXPERIENCE IGNITES TITLE BID

Image via WikipediaBP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team's young chargers plan to use the lessons learned last season to ignite their challenge in the 2009 Federation Internationale de L’Automobile World Rally Championship which begins in Ireland this week.

Finns Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala raised their experience levels enormously as they turned what was expected to be a transitional year for Ford in 2008 into a concerted title bid in both the drivers' and manufacturers' series.

Now 28-year-old Hirvonen and 23-year-old Latvala, accompanied by co-drivers Jarmo Lehtinen and Miikka Anttila respectively, begin the 2009 campaign on Rally Ireland confident of stepping up their performance even further. Continuity is a key strategy of the team this season and the pairings will again have the record-breaking Ford Focus RS World Rally Car at their disposal. The car won four times in 2008 and has 36 WRC victories to its credit since the original model debuted in 1999.

Rally Ireland is one of just two all-asphalt events in the 12-round series and returns for its second appearance after a year's absence. However, the term asphalt is a misnomer for this cross-border event, which is based in Sligo, in the Republic of Ireland, but also ventures into Northern Ireland.

The route is a mix of flowing mountain roads and tight, twisty farm lanes. The latter are bumpy and narrow—often little more than the width of a car—with many surface changes. They are used by farmers on a daily basis and will be dirty. With rain highly likely in late January, they could quickly turn muddy and become treacherously slippery, so much so that a more gravel-based car set-up is likely to work better than a traditional asphalt specification. Ice and snow cannot be ruled out either.

Hirvonen, second in the drivers' championship last year, also led the team to second in the manufacturers' series. He was fourth in Ireland in 2007 and knows what to expect this year.

"Rally Ireland was difficult in 2007, but this year I feel it's going to be even harder," he said. "I think we'll experience ice in places and the roads are so incredibly narrow and fast. Cars cut the corners and pull mud onto the road so it can be dirty and slippery. It's going to be an interesting and challenging event to start the year. We have a two-day test before the rally so that should give us confidence going into the start. I want to be on the podium, but if there's any chance at all, I want to fight for the win."

"I'm feeling confident about the season ahead. I learned much from 2008 that I'm sure will benefit me this year. After a too cautious start, my speed increased during the second half of the season and that's how I need to start 2009. There are only 12 rallies so it's important to score on every rally. There is no room for zero points from events because there are fewer rallies to make up for it," added Hirvonen.

Latvala claimed his first WRC podium in Ireland in 2007 and has set his sights on a repeat. "Loose surface rallies are my preference, but I've said to myself that if I can finish in the top three on asphalt this year, that would be perfect. It will be a very tricky rally because the conditions will be so unpredictable and a neat, tidy and mistake-free drive will be rewarded," he said.

"Consistency is an area in which I want to improve in 2009. I want to eliminate the kind of ups and downs that I experienced at times last season. This time one year ago I was very nervous ahead of my debut in the Ford team. I went through so many things last year, gaining experience and learning about the mental side of the WRC, that I feel relaxed and confident for the new season. I have two targets—to help Ford regain the manufacturers' title and to fight for the drivers' title. It's not a target to win the drivers' title—that's different—but I want to be able to challenge for it," added Latvala.

Abu Dhabi's Khalid Al Qassimi and Michael Orr will drive a third Focus RS WRC. The 36-year-old, who finished 15th in 2007, knows Ireland will be hugely different from the conditions he will experience during this weekend's opening round of the Middle East Rally Championship in Qatar.

"I’m sure Ireland will be wet and the asphalt is bound to be muddy and slippery. It won’t be easy for me, especially after driving in Qatar, but I'll rely on my pace notes, start steadily and aim to improve throughout the weekend. I've learned a lot in the past 18 months—now is the time to realise my potential. This season my goals are to keep improving and hopefully I'll be in a position to post top 10 finishes and get in the drivers' points," said Al Qassimi.

RALLY ROUTE
The rally covers similar territory to 2007 in the Sligo mountains and Fermanagh lakelands in the north-western counties of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. After Thursday evening's ceremonial start at Enniskillen Castle, Friday's opening leg covers a massive 164.53km and spans 15 hours. It includes a new stage and much of it is in the mountainous Leitrim and Cavan area of the Republic before crossing into Northern Ireland for two tests in darkness. The second day is based around narrow farm lanes near Enniskillen, in Northern Ireland. The short final leg in the Republic includes a new stage through the streets of Donegal town, which is broadcast live on television. Drivers tackle 19 stages covering 366.75km in a total route of 1405.99km.

RALLY IRELAND
Thursday: Ceremonial start
Start Enniskillen Castle, Enniskillen 19.30

Friday: Day 1 Sligo – Sligo
Start Sligo 07.25
SS1 Glenboy 1 22.25km 08.13
SS2 Cavan 1 15.09km 09.01
SS3 Aughnasheelan 1 25.19km 09.42
Serv A Sligo (30 mins) 11.44
SS4 Glenboy 2 22.25km 13.02
SS5 Cavan 2 15.09km 13.50
SS6 Aughnasheelan 2 25.19km 14.31
Serv B Sligo (30 mins) 16.36
SS7 Murley 24.70km 18.54
SS8 Fardross 14.77km 19.39
Serv C Sligo (45 mins) 21.39
Finish Sligo 22.24
Total 164.53km

Saturday: Day 2 Sligo – Sligo
Serv D Sligo (15 mins) 06.25
SS9 Sloughan Glen 1 27.76km 08.13
SS10 Ballinamallard 1 25.46km 09.06
SS11 Tempo 1 13.46km 09.49
Serv E Sligo (30 mins) 11.54
SS12 Sloughan Glen 2 27.76km 13.57
SS13 Ballinamallard 2 25.46km 14.50
SS14 Tempo 2 13.46km 15.33
Serv F Sligo (45 mins) 17.18
Finish Sligo 18.03
Total 133.36km

Sunday: Day 3 Sligo – Sligo
Serv G Sligo (15 mins) 07.40
SS15 Geevagh 11.48km 08.35
SS16 Arigna 27.90km 09.00
SS17 Lough Gill 13.51km 09.51
Serv H Sligo (30 mins) 10.41
SS18 Donegal Bay 14.47km 12.09
SS19 Donegal Town 1.50km 13.10
Serv I Sligo (10 mins) 14.33
Finish Clarion Hotel, Sligo 15.10

Total 68.86km
Rally total 366.75km