Deutsch and go for Mikko in title race
Last updated 11:49, Tuesday, 19 August 2008
MIKKO HIRVONEN suffered a blow in his battle for the World Rally Championship drivers’ crown when rival Sébastien Loeb won the Rallye Deutschland.
The young Finn, who drives for the Cumbria-based Ford rally team, still helped to secure a double points finish when he claimed fourth place, with team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala ending the event in fifth.
The result meant the lead of the drivers' championship changed hands for the sixth time in the enthralling battle for the title between Hirvonen and Citroen’s Loeb.
Loeb regained top spot by just four points from Hirvonen with five rounds remaining, while in the manufacturers' series, the battle is just as tense with Ford lying second, eight points from the lead.
Hirvonen, for whom asphalt is his least-favoured surface, ended Friday's opening leg in second on the debut of the 2008-specification Focus RS WRC.
He slipped to third on Saturday but punctured a rear tyre after hitting a hole in the final few kilometres to drop into fourth behind François Duval.
He fought tooth and nail to catch the Belgian on Sunday’s final leg in the vineyards, comprising five speed tests and 84.97km of competition, but could not close the gap, ending 10.1sec behind.
Hirvonen said: “I was on the limit this morning to try to catch Duval. I had a big escape. I had a corner marked in my notes with a small cut, but I took a big cut.
“It was a high-speed bend and the car was up on two wheels for a long time.
“It was close! On the third stage I saw I was three seconds down on Duval at the third split section and decided to ease off and settle for fourth.
“I didn't want to make any mistakes chasing third and risk losing what I had.
“I set some great stage times on Friday and with a bit more consistency I will be able to fight for a top-place on this surface, but I couldn't match the speed of the top two here. But I feel my asphalt driving has improved and it was unfortunate I lost time with a puncture.”
Ford team boss Malcolm Wilson said: “We made a good start on Friday with a terrific performance from Mikko.
“But a lack of experience on the most difficult asphalt rally in the championship, with a constantly changing road surface, resulted in us not taking as many points as we would have liked. However, the drivers have learned a lot for the final two rallies on this surface.”
Loeb claimed his seventh consecutive German victory, finishing 47.7sec ahead of team-mate Dani Sordo, despite stalling his engine on the second stage.
François Duval, who drives for the Carlisle-based Stobart Motorsport team, claimed the final podium place on his second appearance of the season after winning four stages on Sunday.
The Ford team, which is based at Dovenby Hall, near Cockermouth, faces its longest journey of the season when the championship returns to gravel on Rally New Zealand, starting on August 28.
