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JARI-MATTI
LATVALA E MIKKA ANTTILA, ON A FORD FOCUS
WRC FROM BP FORD ABU DHABI WORLD RALLY
TEAM, ARE IN THE LEAD AFTER DAY ONE OF
RALLY D’ITALIA SARDEGNA 2009.
The other Focus Wrc of Mikko Hirvonen is
in second position. The event’s favorite
Sebastien Loeb, Citroen C4 Wrc of
Citroen Total World Rally Team, finished
day one in third place.
Alessandro Bettega leads amongst the
JWRC drivers
May 22nd, - The
two Ford Focus of the Bp Ford Abu Dhabi
World Rally Team are in the lead after
day one of Rally d’Italia Sardegna,
event organised by the Automobile Club
d’Italia and counting as sixth event of
the World Rally Championship.
The fastest driver today was Jari-Matti
Latvala who, taking advantage of his
start number which allowed him to drive
on roads swept from gravel by the crews
before him, kept a fast pace winning
four of today’s six stages.
His team mate Mikko Hirvonen finished
just behind in second, passing Sébastien
Loeb on the very last stage. This will
allow Loeb to start as third tomorrow. A
good position behind the two who will
open the road, cleaning the best lines.
The world champion has a 42”8 gap from
the leader, which will not be easy to
make up.
Petter Solberg lies fourth, keeping a
steady pace on his 2006 Citroen Xsara. A
favourable starting position boosted
Russian Evgeny Novikov up high. With his
Citroen C4 of Citroen Junior Team, he
ended the day in fifth position.
In the positions giving points for the
world championship are Norwegian Henning
Solberg, sixth with his Stobart VK
M-Sport Ford Focus WRC, fellow
countryman Mads Ostberg on a Subaru
Impreza Wrc, and Daniel Sordo. The
Spaniard, Loeb’s team mate, was first
slowed down by a turbo sensor problem,
then after hitting a rock which broke a
suspension in his Citroen.
For what concerns
Junior World Rally Championship, Day 1
ends with Alessandro Bettega and Simone
Scattolin leading with their Renault
Clio R3 of team TRT. They went into the
lead mid-leg and held on to it until the
end, with little over 15” on Polish
Michal Kosciuszko’s Suzuki Swift Super
1600.
In the PWRC
standings, Swedish Patrick Flodin and
his Subaru Impreza are less than one
second ahead of fellow countryman Patrik
Sandell. Qatari Al Attiyah codriven by
Giovanni Bernacchini are third at 6”,
Bad luck for the Italian crews, Simone
Campedelli was quickly out and Giovanni
Manfrinato rolled on the last stage of
the day.
Amongst the local
crews, good results for Giuseppe Dettori,
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX , Francesco
Marrone, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, and
Davide Catania with a Subaru Impreza.
Standings after
day 1.
1. Latvala-
Anttila (Ford Focus Rs Wrc - Bp Ford Abu
Dhabi Wrt) in 1h 24’ 14”.5; 2. Hirvonen
– Lehtinen (Ford Focus Rs Wrc - Bp Ford
Abu Dhabi Wrt) at 39”8; 3. Loeb – Elena
(Citroen C4 Wrc - Citroen Total Wrt) at
42”8; 4. Solberg P. – Mills (Citroen
Xsara) a 46”4; 5.Novikov - Moscatt
(Citroen C4 Wrc - Citroen Junior Team)
at 1’04”7; 6. Solberg H.- Menkerud (Ford
Focus Rs - Stobart VK M-Sport) a 1’08”2;
7. Ostberg –Engan (Subaru Impreza Wrc)
at 1’16”6; 8. Sordo – Marti (Citroen C4
Wrc - Citroen Total Wrt) at 1’37”3; 9.
Wilson – Martin (Ford Focus Rs Wrc -
Stobart Vk-M Sport) at 2’33”8; 10. Al
Qassimi – Orr ( Ford Focus Rs Wrc - Bp
Ford Abu Dhabi Ford Wrt) at 2’59”9
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