WORLD RALLY - RALLY IRELAND
Rally Ireland – Round 1 of the World Rally Championship
Sébastien Loeb and Dani Sordo started Citroën's 2009 World Rally Championship campaign in perfect style at the weekend as the two drivers led a one-two finish for the French manufacturer, while Citroën Junior drivers Chris Atkinson and Sébastien Ogier finished fifth and sixth.
Loeb and co-driver Daniel Elena took control of the rally after the opening loop on Friday, as Sordo and Marc Marti followed in second. Following two days of uninterrupted heavy rain, they gradually pulled clear of their chasers, giving them the opportunity to make a more conservative tyre choice on the final day.
Five-time World Champion Sebastien Loeb beamed, "Even though we weren't on the ideal rubber for the first loop, we were able to control from in front. Don't get me wrong; this weekend's win was no stroll. Given the delicate conditions, it was essential to have a car that was easy to drive and my C4 WRC was perfect from start to finish. Today's victory was obviously the best way possible to kick off this year's championship."
Dani Sordo followed his team-mate home in second place and was equally pleased with his result: "I'm very happy because coming second means that Citroën leaves Ireland with maximum Manufacturers' points, and it was great to have a perfectly trouble-free run, too. The conditions were very difficult, and going the full distance without making any mistakes was a challenge in itself! This result is a terrific confidence booster for the rest of the season."
Citroën Sport Director Olivier Quesnel was understandably delighted with Loeb and Elena's 13th consecutive asphalt rally win: "We had been hoping to start the season with a win, if only because the 2009 calendar features just 12 rounds, with only two on asphalt," he commented. "There will be a high price to pay for any mistake this year. The fact that we are leading both championships after the season's curtain-raiser means we can go into the next event in a more relaxed frame of mind."
BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen finished third on the opening round of the FIA World Rally Championship in Ireland today. 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.
Mikko Hirvonen said, "This is the more difficult of the two asphalt events in the calendar and six points is a good start to the year. 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."
While Ford team-mate Latvala said, "I've had an up and down weekend. 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."
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."
Final leaderboard on Rally Ireland*
| 1 S Loeb/D Elena | Citroen C4 | 2hr 48min 25.7sec |
| 2 D Sordo/M Marti | Citroen C4 | 2hr 49min 53.6sec |
| 3 M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen | Ford Focus RS | 2hr 50min 33.5sec |
| 4 H Solberg/C Menkerud | Ford Focus RS | 2hr 54min 58.1sec |
| 5 C Atkinson/S Prévot | Citroen C4 | 2hr 56min 17.6sec |
| 6 S Ogier/J Ingrassia | Citroen C4 | 2hr 59min 09.7sec |
| 7 M Wilson/S Martin | Ford Focus RS | 2hr 59min 49.5sec |
| 8 K Al Qassimi/M Orr | Ford Focus RS | 3hr 02min 33.6sec |
| 9 E Boland/D Morrissey | Subaru Impreza | 3hr 03min 49.1sec |
| 10 U Aava/K Sikk | Ford Focus RS | 3hr 04min 01.1sec |
Drivers Standings After Rally Ireland*
| 1. S Loeb | 10pts |
| 2. D Sordo | 8pts |
| 3. M Hirvonen | 6pts |
| 4. H Solberg | 5pts |
| 5. C Atkinson | 4pts |
| 6. S Ogier | 3pts |
Manufacturers Standings After Rally Ireland*
| 1. Citroen Total | 18pts |
| 2. BP Ford Abu Dhabi | 8pts |
| 3. Stobart VK M-Sport Ford | 8pts |
| 4. Citroen Junior Team | 5pts |
*All results subject to FIA confirmation.
Simon McBride