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Rally Sweden: Ford throw down the challenge for 2010
publication date: Feb 15, 2010
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author/source: Gary Jones
 | | © Gary Jones |
BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Mikko
Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen started the 2010 FIA World Rally
Championship in style with victory in Rally Sweden yesterday.
The
Finns won the opening round by 42.3sec in a Ford Focus RS World Rally
Car after three days' competition in the ice-bound Scandinavian
forests. The win moved Ford level at the top of the all-time standings
with 74 WRC victories.
Team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka
Anttila finished third in a similar Focus RS WRC, 1min 15.4sec behind
their fellow Finns. The double podium gives the BP Ford Abu Dhabi squad
a 10-point lead at the top of the manufacturers' standings after the
first of 13 rounds.
Rally Sweden is the only true winter rally
in the series. Drivers tackled 21 speed tests covering 345.15km in the
Värmland region of central Sweden.
Temperatures plunged to -22ºC, but clear blue skies provided picture postcard scenery in the wintry forests.
"After
losing the title last year by a point I knew I had to win more, rather
than settle for consistent points finishes, so this is the ideal
start," said Hirvonen. "It was a big win for us and I want many more
this season. It's the first time I've won the opening round of the year.
The
championship switches to gravel next month for the first of four rounds
outside Europe. Rally Mexico is based in León on 4 - 7 March. |
| Rally Sweden final positions | | 1. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen
| Ford Focus RS | 3hr 09min 30.4sec | 2. S Loeb/D Elena
| Citroen C4 | 3hr 10min 12.7sec | 3. J-M Latvala/M Anttila
| Ford Focus RS
| 3hr 10min 45.8sec | 4. D Sordo/M Marti
| Citroen C4 | 3hr 12min 12.0sec | 5. S Ogier/J Ingrassia
| Citroen C4 | 3hr 13min 45.7sec | 6. H Solberg/I Minor
| Ford Focus RS | 3hr 15min 23.8sec | 7. M Wilson/S Martin
| Ford Focus RS | 3hr 17min 24.3sec | 8. M Østberg/J Andersson
| Subaru Impreza
| 3hr 18min 52.6sec | 9. P Solberg/P Mills
| Citroen C4 | 3hr 19min 47.9sec | 10 P-G Andersson/A Fredriksson
| Skoda Fabia
| 3hr 21min 49.3sec |
World Rally Championship
| Drivers | | | | Manufacturers | | 1.
| M Hirvonen
| 25pts | | BP Ford Abu Dhabi
| 40pts | 2.
| S Loeb
| 18pts | | Citroen Total
| 30pts | 3.
| J-M Latvala
| 15pts | | Citroen Junior
| 14pts | 4.
| D Sordo
| 12pts | | Stobart M-Sport Ford
| 14pts |
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