From the World Rally Championship
Finn Jari-Matti Latvala has won the 2009 Rally d'Italia after a riveting three days of competition on the scorching roads of Sardinia.
Latvala, 24, led the rally from beginning to end in his Ford Focus RS WRC, despite a disadvantageous road position on Saturday and Sunday, which put him first though the slippery gravel stages.
Today's win was the second for Latvala, who became the youngest ever winner of a World Championship Rally on Rally Sweden last year.
Latvala won the event by 29.4sec from his own team-mate Mikko Hirvonen - giving the BP Ford Abu Dhabi Team a perfect one, with a maximum 18 points in the manufacturer's championship.
Citroen Total team driver Sebastien Loeb finished third, 1min 43.7sec behind Latvala. After watching his record-breaking run of six consecutive WRC wins come to an end with his worst result since November 2008, the Frenchman said he was relieved to get to the end of the event.
Citroen privateer Petter Solberg finished fourth in his Xsara WRC. Citroen Junior team driver Evgeny Novikov rounded off the top five places in his C4 WRC. The result was a career best for the 18-year-old Russian.
Finn Jari-Matti Latvala has won the 2009 Rally d'Italia after a riveting three days of competition on the scorching roads of Sardinia.
Latvala, 24, led the rally from beginning to end in his Ford Focus RS WRC, despite a disadvantageous road position on Saturday and Sunday, which put him first though the slippery gravel stages.
Today's win was the second for Latvala, who became the youngest ever winner of a World Championship Rally on Rally Sweden last year.
Latvala won the event by 29.4sec from his own team-mate Mikko Hirvonen - giving the BP Ford Abu Dhabi Team a perfect one, with a maximum 18 points in the manufacturer's championship.
Citroen Total team driver Sebastien Loeb finished third, 1min 43.7sec behind Latvala. After watching his record-breaking run of six consecutive WRC wins come to an end with his worst result since November 2008, the Frenchman said he was relieved to get to the end of the event.
Citroen privateer Petter Solberg finished fourth in his Xsara WRC. Citroen Junior team driver Evgeny Novikov rounded off the top five places in his C4 WRC. The result was a career best for the 18-year-old Russian.