Source: WRC
The BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team continued to dominate the Swedish Rally today to maintain first and second positions with one day remaining.
Jari-Matti Latvala retained the lead in his Focus RS World Rally Car, 49.8sec ahead of team-mate Mikko Hirvonen. If 22-year-old Latvala can hold the lead over the remaining 97km he will become the youngest driver ever to win a WRC rally.
If Friday's leg displayed few of the hallmarks of a traditional Swedish Rally in the midst of a Scandinavian winter, then Saturday resembled the championship's only pure-winter event even less.
Temperatures climbed to an unseasonably mild 5ºC and the speed tests close to the town of Hagfors were pure gravel during this afternoon's second pass, rather than the traditional ice and snow.
Drivers were scheduled to tackle two identical loops of three special stages, covering 120.88km. But the roads were in such poor condition after the studded tyres ripped into the surface on the first run that organisers cancelled the second pass through the 14km Horssjon test.
Hirvonen tried to close the gap on Latvala, but as the day progressed the 27-year-old Finn's thoughts turned more towards the prospect of eight points in the drivers' championship for second place, especially with series leader Sebastien Loeb having retired.
He took no risks and holds a comfortable 46.1sec advantage over third-placed Gigi Galli. Behind the two lead cars Italian Gigi Galli holds third on only his second rally with the Stobart team.
The BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team continued to dominate the Swedish Rally today to maintain first and second positions with one day remaining.
Jari-Matti Latvala retained the lead in his Focus RS World Rally Car, 49.8sec ahead of team-mate Mikko Hirvonen. If 22-year-old Latvala can hold the lead over the remaining 97km he will become the youngest driver ever to win a WRC rally.
If Friday's leg displayed few of the hallmarks of a traditional Swedish Rally in the midst of a Scandinavian winter, then Saturday resembled the championship's only pure-winter event even less.
Temperatures climbed to an unseasonably mild 5ºC and the speed tests close to the town of Hagfors were pure gravel during this afternoon's second pass, rather than the traditional ice and snow.
Drivers were scheduled to tackle two identical loops of three special stages, covering 120.88km. But the roads were in such poor condition after the studded tyres ripped into the surface on the first run that organisers cancelled the second pass through the 14km Horssjon test.
Hirvonen tried to close the gap on Latvala, but as the day progressed the 27-year-old Finn's thoughts turned more towards the prospect of eight points in the drivers' championship for second place, especially with series leader Sebastien Loeb having retired.
He took no risks and holds a comfortable 46.1sec advantage over third-placed Gigi Galli. Behind the two lead cars Italian Gigi Galli holds third on only his second rally with the Stobart team.