From Ford report
BP Ford WRC hit top form on the vastly shortened opening leg of Rally Japan to hold first and second places. Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen dominated in their Ford Focus RS to lead from the opening speed test in this 14th and penultimate round of the FIA World Rally Championship.
Behind the Ford duo, Sébastien Loeb (Citroen) held third, the Frenchman driving cautiously in his quest for a fifth world title. Chris Atkinson (Subaru) made a steady start but climbed from ninth to fourth, overhauling teammate Petter Solberg on the final stage.
Stobart driver Matthew Wilson (Ford) rounded off the top six. Teammate François Duval (Ford) climbed to second, ahead of Latvala, on stage five but retired on the following test after crashing heavily into a steel post supporting a roadside barrier. The Belgian was uninjured but co-driver Patrick Pivato was airlifted to hospital with a broken pelvis and a fractured tibia and is undergoing surgery this evening.
Dani Sordo (Citroen) retired from fifth on stage six with engine problems while Conrad Rautenbach (Citroen) went out after sliding off the road on the opening test.
Leaderboard after Day 1
1. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 42min 40.8sec
2. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Focus RS 43min 07.0sec
3. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 43min 11.4sec
4. C Atkinson/S Prévot AUS Subaru Impreza 43min 41.1sec
5. P Solberg/P Mills NOR Subaru Impreza 43min 42.8sec
6. M Wilson/S Martin GBR Ford Focus RS 43min 52.0sec
7. P-G Andersson/J Andersson SWE Suzuki SX4 43min 52.4sec
8. T Gardemeister/T Tuominen FIN Suzuki SX4 44min 17.6sec
9. H Solberg/C Menkerud NOR Ford Focus RS 44min 27.4sec
10 J Ketomaa/M Stenberg FIN Subaru Impreza 45min 42.2sec
photo:Ford
BP Ford WRC hit top form on the vastly shortened opening leg of Rally Japan to hold first and second places. Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen dominated in their Ford Focus RS to lead from the opening speed test in this 14th and penultimate round of the FIA World Rally Championship.
Behind the Ford duo, Sébastien Loeb (Citroen) held third, the Frenchman driving cautiously in his quest for a fifth world title. Chris Atkinson (Subaru) made a steady start but climbed from ninth to fourth, overhauling teammate Petter Solberg on the final stage.
Stobart driver Matthew Wilson (Ford) rounded off the top six. Teammate François Duval (Ford) climbed to second, ahead of Latvala, on stage five but retired on the following test after crashing heavily into a steel post supporting a roadside barrier. The Belgian was uninjured but co-driver Patrick Pivato was airlifted to hospital with a broken pelvis and a fractured tibia and is undergoing surgery this evening.
Dani Sordo (Citroen) retired from fifth on stage six with engine problems while Conrad Rautenbach (Citroen) went out after sliding off the road on the opening test.
Leaderboard after Day 1
1. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 42min 40.8sec
2. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Focus RS 43min 07.0sec
3. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 43min 11.4sec
4. C Atkinson/S Prévot AUS Subaru Impreza 43min 41.1sec
5. P Solberg/P Mills NOR Subaru Impreza 43min 42.8sec
6. M Wilson/S Martin GBR Ford Focus RS 43min 52.0sec
7. P-G Andersson/J Andersson SWE Suzuki SX4 43min 52.4sec
8. T Gardemeister/T Tuominen FIN Suzuki SX4 44min 17.6sec
9. H Solberg/C Menkerud NOR Ford Focus RS 44min 27.4sec
10 J Ketomaa/M Stenberg FIN Subaru Impreza 45min 42.2sec
photo:Ford