Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen claimed their first victory of the season on an enthralling Jordan Rally yesterday.

The BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team pair returned to the lead of the drivers' standings after winning by 1min 15.7sec in a Focus RS World Rally Car. Team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila were seventh in another Focus RS, and Ford extended its lead in the manufacturers' championship to seven points. 

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 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 BP Ford Abu Dhabi's success.  After Latvala and Hirvonen climbed to first and second yesterday afternoon, they slowed during the final metres of yesterday'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 today'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 first stage this morning.  When Latvala suffered suspension problems, 27-year-old Hirvonen 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.

"My strategy paid off but I was nervous in the final stage," said Hirvonen.  "No split times were available for Sordo and I didn't know how hard he was pushing. 

"I really needed these 10 points and this is a great result for my championship challenge. 

“I need to keep my feet on the ground and continue trying to find more speed and more wins.  I've learned how important it is to consistently score points on every rally but 10 is perfect.  It was a tough rally but it's good to lead the series again.”

WRC Jordan

Final positions

subject to fuel analysis

1.  M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen            

2.  D Sordo/M Marti                     

Citroen C4        

4hr 04min 03.6sec

3.  C Atkinson/S Prévot               

Subaru Impreza

4hr 07min 47.4sec

4.  H Solberg/C Menkerud           

5.  M Wilson/S Martin                  

6.  F Villagra/J Perez Companc      

7.  J-M Latvala/M Anttila                 

8.  G Galli/GBernacchini      

9.  K Al Qassimi/M Orr                    

10 S Loeb/D Elena                          

Citroen C4

4hr 26min 26.0sec

2.  S Loeb               

2.  Citroen Total              

3.  C Atkinson

3.  Subaru                     

5.  D Sordo             

5.  Munchi's Ford             

6.  G Galli            

6.  Suzuki