Wales will be final thriller for WRC this month
publication date: Oct 5, 2009
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author/source: Robin Roberts
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Rally GB at the end of the month will provide a dramatic final to this year’s World Rally Championship for drivers. Citroen’s Sebastien Loeb yesterday clinched his fifth consecutive Spanish rally and secured the 2009 manufacturers title for the French team with help from Dani Sordo, but Ford’s Mikko Hirvonen still has a one point lead in the drivers’ championship as the Welsh forests beckon. At the weekend, Loeb took the lead on the final stage of day two and won by 12.0secs from team-mate Dani Sordo for a result which guaranteed the manufacturers' crown for Citroen which tied up the makers series. Sordo had led through the opening day of the event and took second having played the team game to aid Loeb and Citroen in the race for the championship, while Hirvonen was forced to settle for third – despite the best efforts of Petter Solberg and Welsh co-driver Phil Mills to close in on his debut with the Citroen C4. Hirvonen was realistic and said, "I'm a bit disappointed because I wanted second place but third keeps me in the lead of the championship. "All I can think about now is going to Great Britain for the final round. I'm really looking forward to it because it should be a fantastic weekend. Whoever finishes highest there between myself and Sebastien Loeb will take the title, and what an exciting way to end the season that will be." The final Rally of Great Britain will be fought out over fast gravel roads in south and mid-Wales and is based in Cardiff from 22 - 25 October. |
| Final positions Rally of Spain | ||
| 1. S Loeb/D Elena | Citroen C4 | 3hr 22min 14.7sec |
| 2. D Sordo/M Marti | Citroen C4 | 3hr 22min 26.7sec |
| 3. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen | Ford Focus RS | 3hr 23min 08.8sec |
| 4. P Solberg/P Mills | Citroen C4 | 3hr 23min 27.1sec |
| 5. S Ogier/J Ingrassia | Citroen C4 | 3hr 23min 56.3sec |
| 6. J-M Latvala/M Anttila | Ford Focus RS | 3hr 25min 04.5sec |
| 7. M Wilson/S Martin | Ford Focus RS | 3hr 29min 30.2sec |
| 8. F Villagra/J Perez Companc | Ford Focus RS | 3hr 30min 42.8sec |
| 9. H Solberg/C Menkerud | Ford Focus RS | 3hr 31min 22.3sec |
| 10 D Snobeck/G Mondesir | Peugeot 307 | 3hr 33min 10.7sec |
| World Rally Championship 2009 | ||||
| Drivers | Manufacturers | |||
| 1. M Hirvonen | 84pts | 1. Citroen Total | 151pts | |
| 2. S Loeb | 83pts | 2. BP Ford Abu Dhabi | 130pts | |
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3. D Sordo | 58pts | 3. Stobart VK M-Sport Ford | 73pts | |
| 4. J-M Latvala | 39pts | 4. Citroen Junior | 42pts | |
| 5. P Solberg | 30pts | 5. Munchi's Ford | 23pts | |