Mikko rock solid in Jordan
Last updated 19:41, Thursday, 01 May 2008
BP FORD’S Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen are back leading the World Rally Championship drivers’ race after winning the Jordan Rally last weekend.
Hirvonen heads defending champion Sébastien Loeb by five points while Ford extended their lead in the manufacturers’ classification to seven points.
Ford’s other crew, Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila, came seventh after suspension problems.
Jordan's debut in the WRC marked the first Arab rally to appear in the series since 1976. Blistering temperatures, which hovered just below 40ºC for much of the three-day event, and hard-packed gravel speed tests in the Jordan Valley made it a punishing event for man and machine.
However, the Focus RS - developed at M-Sport, Dovenby - excelled and showed a blend of speed, strength and reliability to fill seven of the top nine places.
This fifth round of the series was based on the shores of the Dead Sea, and competitors raced through the earth's lowest land point at more than 400 metres below sea level. They tackled 22 speed tests covering 359.26km, the bulk of which were on purpose-built roads amid stunning Jordanian scenery.
Tactics played a huge part in the race. After Latvala and Hirvonen climbed to first and second on Saturday afternoon, they slowed during the final metres of the day’s last special stage to allow main rival Dani Sordo to hold the overnight lead.
In doing so, the Focus RS drivers forced the Spaniard into first in Sunday's start order, handing him the disadvantage of sweeping slippery loose gravel from the roads to allow the Finnish pairing a cleaner and faster line behind.
Their strategy worked perfectly and both Latvala and Hirvonen leapfrogged Sordo on the day’s first stage.
The only clitch was that Latvala suffered suspension problems and he dropped back down the order.
Hirvonen, though, broke clear and went into the final stage along the border between Jordan and Israel's West Bank with a 23.7sec advantage over Sordo, which he extended during that final test.
Hirvonen said: "My strategy paid off but I was nervous in the final stage. I really needed these 10 points and this is a great result for my championship challenge.”
Latvala's hopes ended when he twice lost time because of suspension problems which the pit crew worked feverishly to keep held togther.
Abu Dhabi's Khalid Al Qassimi and Michael Orr finished ninth in another Focus RS.
Team director Malcolm Wilson said: "It was almost a dream weekend but it was a fantastic team performance. Our strategy worked perfectly and it's great for Mikko to claim his first win this season and for us to lead both championships again.”
Loeb finished 10th after having a heavy crash.
The championship returns to Europe for the Rally d'Italia Sardegna on May 15-18.
Jordan result: 1, M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen, Ford Focus RS, four hours, two minutes 47.9 seconds; 2, D Sordo/M Marti, Citroen C4, 4.04.03.6; 3, C Atkinson/S Prévot, Subaru Impreza, 4.07.47.4; 4, H Solberg/C Menkerud, Ford Focus RS, 4.10.23.7; 5, M Wilson/S Martin, Ford Focus RS, 4.13.29.6; 6, F Villagra/J Perez Companc, Ford Focus RS, 4.14/10.1; 7, J-M Latvala/M Anttila, Ford Focus RS, 4.15.03.5; 8, G Galli/G Bernacchini, Ford Focus RS, 4.15.12.3; 9, K Al Qassimi/M Orr, Ford Focus RS, 4.21.53.6; 10, S Loeb/D Elena, Citroen C4, 4.26.26.0.
WRC standings - Drivers: 1, Hirvonen 35 points; 2, Loeb 30; 3, Atkinson 28; 4, J-M Latvala 18; 5, Sordo 17; 6, Galli 12.
Manufacturers: 1, BP Ford Abu Dhabi 57 points; 2, Citroen Total 50; 3, Subaru 39; 4, Stobart VK M-Sport 29; 5, Munchi's Ford 14; 6, Suzuki 6.
