From the World Rally Championship
Friday's final stage brought good news and bad news for the BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team.
On one hand, a one-two placing for team drivers Jari-Matti Latvala and Mikko Hirvonen gave the team something to celebrate, but on the other, both drivers have given themselves the worst possible road positions for Saturday's competition.
As expected, both Ford and Citroen employed tactics on the final stage to try and secure the best places on the day two start order. In the end the strategic battle went Citroen's way. Sebastien Loeb was the first to play his hand, stopping close to the finish line for 23 seconds in an effort to drop back behind Hirvonen.
Unsurprisingly Mikko responded by slowing too - but not enough - and at the end of the stage he remained 3sec ahead. In the circumstances Ford told Latvala to drive the stage at full speed and hold the lead. He will take a 39.8 sec advantage into day two, and will sweep at least some of the loose gravel off the road for his team-mate.
Petter Solberg ended the day fourth in his Citroen Xsara WRC, 3.6sec adrift of Loeb, while Citroen Junior team driver Evgeny Novikov is fifth, 18.3sec behind Petter.
Friday's final stage brought good news and bad news for the BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team.
On one hand, a one-two placing for team drivers Jari-Matti Latvala and Mikko Hirvonen gave the team something to celebrate, but on the other, both drivers have given themselves the worst possible road positions for Saturday's competition.
As expected, both Ford and Citroen employed tactics on the final stage to try and secure the best places on the day two start order. In the end the strategic battle went Citroen's way. Sebastien Loeb was the first to play his hand, stopping close to the finish line for 23 seconds in an effort to drop back behind Hirvonen.
Unsurprisingly Mikko responded by slowing too - but not enough - and at the end of the stage he remained 3sec ahead. In the circumstances Ford told Latvala to drive the stage at full speed and hold the lead. He will take a 39.8 sec advantage into day two, and will sweep at least some of the loose gravel off the road for his team-mate.
Petter Solberg ended the day fourth in his Citroen Xsara WRC, 3.6sec adrift of Loeb, while Citroen Junior team driver Evgeny Novikov is fifth, 18.3sec behind Petter.