12.02.2012 - Latvala wins Rally Sweden as Ford nets six of the best
Ford World Rally Team drivers Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila won Rally Sweden today by 16.6sec after a tense finale to this second round of the FIA World Rally Championship. Victory in a Ford Fiesta RS World Rally Car was Ford's sixth consecutive success at the only true winter rally of the season.
It was Latvala's second win in Sweden, and it came despite his comfortable lead being slashed when he hit a rogue rock and punctured a tyre with just two more speed tests remaining before the finish. Team-mates Petter Solberg and Chris Patterson finished fourth in another Fiesta RS WRC, losing a potential podium position when they hit the same rock, with the same outcome.
It was the 50th world rally win for the Ford / M-Sport partnership since it started in 1997, and Fiesta RS WRCs filled four of the top five places.
Although temperatures were milder than normal, the snow and ice-covered roads presented a tough challenge as the mercury hovered around -10ºC. After an opening leg based mainly in Norway, the rally returned to Sweden for the final two days' competition close to Hagfors. Drivers tackled 24 special stages covering 349.16km before this afternoon's finish in the host city of Karlstad.
Latvala stamped his mark on the rally from the first moment, by setting fastest time in Thursday's qualifying. It enabled the 26-year-old to select a start position well down the running order, to obtain better conditions after the loose snow was swept away.
He built a 16.8sec during Friday's opening leg and stretched his advantage over former team-mate Mikko Hirvonen to 23.0sec yesterday, after shrewd management of the stud wear on his Michelin tyres. He extended his lead to 35.6sec during today's final leg, before hitting an exposed rock in the rutted snow and ice and puncturing the front right tyre.
The lead was cut to just 8.4sec, but fastest time under extreme pressure in the penultimate stage allowed him to pull clear again. It was Latvala's ninth stage win of the rally.
"Four years ago I won my first world rally here and became the youngest driver to do so," he said. "To come back and win for a second time is very special. After retiring from the first round last month, I was under heavy pressure to do well. After making a mistake and hitting a rock, I knew I had to summon some extra speed and attack hard through the penultimate stage.
"It feels like a heavy weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I've learned to stay calm when things go wrong and that paid dividends today. I knew Mikko would attack hard this morning so I was wide awake and ready for it. I had a comfortable lead before everything changed with just two stages to go, but I kept my cool," he added.
Ford World Rally Team director Malcolm Wilson was delighted with the landmark victory for the Ford / M-Sport partnership. "Jari-Matti dominated from start to finish. We had a scare towards the end. This morning we were concerned that he drove so fast when he had a big lead, but given what happened this afternoon, it's a good job he did. It's a milestone victory for the team and with the confidence he has in the car, I'm sure there will be more to come," he said.
Ford of Europe motorsport chief Gerard Quinn said: "A victory and seven cars in the top 10 represents a great weekend for Ford. Jari-Matti was in control from the very beginning and even when he received a setback this afternoon, he was strong enough to recover and seal the win. Petter drove well and his speed with a new car so early in the season bodes well for the future."
News from other Ford teams
Mads Østberg / Jonas Andersson celebrated their second consecutive Swedish podium with third in a Fiesta RS WRC after overhauling Solberg following his puncture. M-Sport Ford World Rally Team's Evgeny Novikov / Denis Giraudet finished fifth, with Henning Solberg / Ilka Minor seventh in the Go Fast Energy World Rally Team car. Also in the top 10 were Czech Ford National Team duo Martin Prokop / Zdenek Hrûza and Norway's Eyvind Brynildsen / Cato Menkerud, taking ninth and 10th respectively. M-Sport Ford's Ott Tänak / Kuldar Sikk retired with engine troubles this morning, ending a frustrating rally for the Estonians who went off the road in each of the opening two legs.
Next round
Round three takes Ford World Rally Team to North America for the first long-haul round of the season and the opening gravel event of 2012. Rally Mexico is based in Léon on 8 - 11 March.
Final positions
1. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Fiesta RS 3hr 18min 28.3sec
2. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Citroen DS3 3hr 18min 44.9sec
3. M Østberg/J Andersson NOR Ford Fiesta RS 3hr 19min 07.1sec
4. P Solberg/C Patterson NOR Ford Fiesta RS 3hr 19min 42.6sec
5. E Novikov/D Giraudet RUS Ford Fiesta RS 3hr 21min 09.7sec
6. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen DS3 3hr 21min 23.4sec
7. H Solberg/I Minor NOR Ford Fiesta RS 3hr 22min 17.8sec
8. P Sandell/S Parmander SWE Mini John Cooper 3hr 23min 37.2sec
9. M Prokop/Z Hrûza CZE Ford Fiesta RS 3hr 23min 58.3sec
10 E Brynildsen/C Menkerud NOR Ford Fiesta RS 3hr 24min 55.5sec
11.2.2012 - Leader Latvala eases Ford Fiesta further ahead in Rally Sweden
Ford World Rally Team drivers Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila stretched their lead in Rally Sweden after an intense battle during today's second leg. The Finns won four of the eight snow and ice-covered speed tests in their Ford Fiesta RS World Rally Car, extending their 16.8sec first day advantage to 23.0sec after a tooth-and-nail duel with former team-mate Mikko Hirvonen.
Petter Solberg and Chris Patterson maintained third in their Fiesta RS WRC, with one day remaining in this second round of the FIA World Rally Championship. Solberg is 11.1sec clear of the privately-entered car of fellow Norwegian Mads Østberg, after a daylong fight for the final podium place.
Today's competition was based close to the Hagfors service park. After a 06.00 re-start from Karlstad, drivers tackled two identical loops of stages covering 117.76km before the long journey back south for the overnight halt. There was less snow on the stages than in Norway yesterday and with temperatures dipping to only -6ºC, exposed gravel broke through the ice during the afternoon tests.
Latvala was fastest over the opening two stages and the 26-year-old increased his lead to 18.6sec by the mid-leg service break in Hagfors. He was quickest on the same tests this afternoon, and managed the stud wear in his Michelin tyres perfectly to ensure maximum traction over the slippery final stage to widen his lead further.
"I knew the final stage was very icy so I tried to look after the tyres this afternoon to ensure we had plenty of studs," explained Latvala. "I didn't want to destroy them in the gravel. Our calculations were correct and our strategy worked well."
He relished the close competition with former colleague Hirvonen. "It was a big battle with Mikko. The pressure was on, but I like it that way. It's good to lead now, but I have to keep this position to the end of the rally. That's what matters. There were some games between us before the stages. Of course we talk to each other, but the chat is more serious now than when we were team-mates, with each of us trying to gain a mental advantage over the other.
"I needed to play my cards right. Knowing when to attack, when to look after the tyres and when to change them was what today was all about. I know Mikko will attack in the morning so I can't think about easing off. I have a bigger lead than I did this morning which gives me confidence, but I need to be wide awake from the very first kilometre," he added.
Ford World Rally Team director Malcolm Wilson was delighted with the performance of both drivers. "It was tough for Jari-Matti but he handled the pressure well. He had an answer to everything that Mikko threw at him. He made good use of the tyres, attacking where he could take time and saving his tyres when he needed to," he said.
"Driving the car in these conditions is new for Petter. His pre-event test was held in temperatures of -30ºC, but the roads are softer in the milder weather here, and he did a good job. Both cars ran perfectly and Fiesta RS WRCs won six of the eight stages today," he added.
News from other Ford teams
Mads Østberg / Jonas Andersson lie fourth in a privately-entered Fiesta RS WRC. The Norwegian driver's hopes of climbing into third took a setback in the penultimate stage when an electrical issue switched the car into launch mode and the engine briefly cut out. M-Sport Ford World Rally Team's Evgeny Novikov / Denis Giraudet are fifth, the Russian driver's only problem being a misted windscreen this morning. Henning Solberg / Ilka Minor lie seventh, the Go Fast Energy World Rally Team pair nudged down a place on the final stage by world champion Sebastien Loeb. Also in the top 10 are Czech Ford National Team duo Martin Prokop / Zdenek Hrûza and Norway's Eyvind Brynildsen / Cato Menkerud, holding ninth and 10th respectively. M-Sport Ford's Ott Tänak / Kuldar Sikk dropped more than 20 minutes after Tänak misheard a pace note and went off the road on the second stage. However, the Estonians claimed their maiden WRC stage victory this morning, and shared fastest time when the stage was repeated this afternoon.
Tomorrow's Route
The final day is again based close to the Hagfors service park and is the shortest of the weekend. Drivers leave Karlstad at 06.10 for two identical loops of three stages, split by service. The final test of the second loop close to Hagfors is the Power Stage, with bonus points on offer to the fastest three drivers. Competitors journey to Karlstad for the finish in the city square at 16.16.
Leaderboard after Day 2
1. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Fiesta RS 2hr 30min 08.0sec
2. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Citroen DS3 2hr 30min 31.0sec
3. P Solberg/C Patterson NOR Ford Fiesta RS 2hr 30min 59.4sec
4. M Østberg/J Andersson NOR Ford Fiesta RS 2hr 31min 10.5sec
5. E Novikov/D Giraudet RUS Ford Fiesta RS 2hr 32min 21.1sec
6. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen DS3 2hr 33min 05.5sec
7. H Solberg/I Minor NOR Ford Fiesta RS 2hr 33min 10.4sec
8. P Sandell/S Parmander SWE Mini John Cooper 2hr 34min 39.8sec
9. M Prokop/Z Hrûza CZE Ford Fiesta RS 2hr 34min 42.4sec
10 E Brynildsen/C Menkerud NOR Ford Fiesta RS 2hr 35min 16.7sec
10.2.2012 - Ford and Latvala lead in Sweden as Fiesta dominates top six
Ford World Rally Team drivers Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila led Rally Sweden after a demanding opening day's competition on snow and ice-covered roads. The Finns lead this second round of the FIA World Rally Championship by 16.8sec in a Ford Fiesta RS World Rally Car, with team-mates Petter Solberg and Chris Patterson in third.
The team won four of the 10 speed tests, Latvala and Solberg taking two victories each. Ford has won the last five fixtures at the championship's only true winter encounter, and the Fiesta RS WRC, which claimed a clean sweep of the podium in Sweden last year, holds five of the top six places.
The rally began last night with a spectacular curtain-raising special stage around the trotting track in the rally base of Karlstad. After a 05.00 restart this morning, competitors journeyed north-west of the city to tackle the bulk of the day's action over the border in Norway. The final two tests, including a repeat of the Karlstad stage, were back in Sweden, generating 144.66km of competition.
Temperatures hovered around -10ºC, enough to guarantee full winter conditions, but not cold enough to ensure the roads were pure ice. That encouraged both Latvala, fastest in the WRC's first ever qualifying session yesterday, and Solberg to select start positions well down the order, with the aim of obtaining better conditions after the loose snow had been swept away.
The decision paid off immediately as Latvala was equal fastest on this morning's opening stage, spanning both Sweden and Norway. He took the lead on the next test and reached the brief 15-minute service in Kongsvinger just 2.9sec from the front. The 26-year-old retook top spot this afternoon and managed the stud retention in his Michelin tyres well to widen his advantage.
"My start position strategy paid off and it was an excellent day," he said. "I made a few small mistakes this morning which cost me the lead and the car oversteered a little, but that improved as the day continued. I knew I was losing time to Petter in the penultimate stage because my studs were more worn, but I remained calm and it turned out that other drivers were losing even more.
"Today was the hardest for the tyres but the grip remained good this afternoon. I must keep pushing tomorrow and it's important to stay focused. Keeping clear of the snow banks will be key because it's all too easy to be dragged into the soft snow and become stuck," added Latvala.
Today's opening 27.07km Mitandersfors test passed a farm and hotel owned by the Solberg family, and the 37-year-old Norwegian delighted his home fans with a string of consistently fast times. He held second, before losing 10 seconds with a spin and sliding to fifth.
However, he too managed his tyres superbly. After fitting his spare wheels later than his rivals this afternoon, the studs were in perfect condition for Solberg to win the penultimate stage by more than seven seconds and climb to third. He is 18.6sec behind his Ford colleague.
Ford World Rally team director Malcolm Wilson reflected on a hugely satisfying opening leg. "Our planning to develop a start order strategy worked perfectly and the both of pace drivers was evident throughout the day. Petter put his experience to good use by managing his tyres skilfully, and the result was a stunning stage win and a place on the podium tonight. Jari-Matti was consistently fast. We will make a small change to the suspension set-up on his car for tomorrow," he said.
News from other Ford teams
Mads Østberg / Jonas Andersson lie fourth in a privately-entered Fiesta RS WRC, despite the Norwegian feeling frustrated with his pace on occasions. M-Sport Ford World Rally Team's Evgeny Novikov / Denis Giraudet are fifth, the Russian driver finding the roads more slippery than he expected this morning. Rounding off the top six is Henning Solberg / Ilka Minor, the Go Fast Energy World Rally Team pair steadily climbing the order as the day progressed. Also in the top 10 are Czech Ford National Team duo Martin Prokop / Zdenek Hrûza and Norway's Eyvind Brynildsen / Cato Menkerud, holding ninth and 10th respectively. M-Sport Ford's Ott Tänak / Kuldar Sikk dropped more than 11 minutes after going off the road on today's opening stage, while Jari Ketomaa / Mika Stenberg retired their Fiesta RS WRC after crashing.
Tomorrow's Route
The second leg is based entirely in Sweden and the stages rarely stray far from the Hagfors service park. After leaving Karlstad at 06.00, drivers tackle two identical loops of four tests covering 117.76km, before returning to the city for the final overnight halt at 20.26.
Leaderboard after Day 1
1. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Fiesta RS 1hr 23min 50.8sec
2. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Citroen DS3 1hr 24min 07.6sec
3. P Solberg/C Patterson NOR Ford Fiesta RS 1hr 24min 09.4sec
4. M Østberg/J Andersson NOR Ford Fiesta RS 1hr 24min 23.1sec
5. E Novikov/D Giraudet RUS Ford Fiesta RS 1hr 25min 02.9sec
6. H Solberg/I Minor NOR Ford Fiesta RS 1hr 25min 39.3sec
7. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen DS3 1hr 25min 59.7sec
8. P Sandell/S Parmander SWE Mini John Cooper 1hr 26min 09.6sec
9. M Prokop/Z Hrûza CZE Ford Fiesta RS 1hr 26min 17.7sec
10 E Brynildsen/C Menkerud NOR Ford Fiesta RS 1hr 26min 50.6sec
9.2.2012 - Rally Sweden - after stage 1, SSS Karlstad 1
Ford World Rally Team drivers Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila were fastest in qualifying today for this weekend's Rally Sweden. The Finnish duo were the first of four Fiesta RS World Rally Cars in the top five positions over the frozen roads of the 3.99km Råda speed test, near Hagfors, after the first qualifying session in the history of the FIA World Rally Championship.
Latvala was quickest by almost 0.6sec, earning the 26-year-old the right to be first to choose his start position for tomorrow's opening leg of this second round of the 13-rally series. Planning to take advantage of improved road conditions further down the order, Latvala opted to start 17th for the first full day of competition, most of which is based in Norway.
"After seeing the conditions during the recce and discussing it with the team, we calculated this would be the best place to start," said Latvala. "It's not cold enough for the road surface to be pure ice. Temperatures are only a few degrees below freezing and there is quite a lot of snow on tomorrow's stages, so I believe the loose snow could be a handicap for the early starters," said Latvala.
Team-mates Petter Solberg and Chris Patterson were fifth in qualifying and the 37-year-old Norwegian driver opted to start two places ahead of his colleague in 15th.
The action began tonight with a spectacular curtain-raising speed test around the trotting track on the edge of the rally base in Karlstad. Huge crowds watched two cars at a time tackle the sweeping bends of the1.90km test, which is more accustomed to horsepower of the four-legged variety than that of World Rally Cars.
Latvala was edged out in his head-to-head battle with former team-mate Mikko Hirvonen, posting seventh fastest time but just 2.2sec from the lead. "I made a bad start and that was where I lost the time. But this is a warm-up for the real action which begins in the forests tomorrow morning," he said.
Solberg took on world champion Sébastien Loeb and the pair crossed the line in exactly the same time to share fourth fastest. "That was such good fun," enthused Solberg. "It was a fantastic way to start the rally in front of such a large crowd and I'm really excited about driving the Fiesta in the snow tomorrow."
Competitors leave Karlstad at 05.00 to tackle nine more stages. Seven are based in Norway, the first of which passes alongside a home and hotel belonging to the Solberg family. Drivers end the day with a second pass over the Karlstad trotting track test and arrive back in the city at 20.00 after 142.76km of competition.
Leaderboard after stage 1 of 22
1. D Sordo/C Del Barrio ESP Mini John Cooper 1min 34.2sec
2. M Østberg/J Andersson NOR Ford Fiesta RS 1min 34.5sec
3. O Tänak/K Sikk EST Ford Fiesta RS 1min 34.8sec
4= P Solberg/C Patterson NOR Ford Fiesta RS 1min 35.4sec
4= S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen DS3 1min 35.4sec
6. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Citroen DS3 1min 35.7sec
7. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Fiesta RS 1min 36.4sec
8. P Sandell/S Parmander SWE Mini John Cooper 1min 37.2sec
9. M Prokop/Z Hrùza CZE Ford Fiesta RS 1min 37.3sec
10 R Göransson/A Fredriksson SWE Mini John Cooper 1min 37.9sec
3.2.2012 - Ford targets six of the best at Scandinavian snowfest
Ford World Rally Team's Nordic drivers will aim to extend the squad's winning grip at the Swedish Rally (9 - 12 February) next week. The team has won the last five fixtures of the FIA World Rally Championship's only true winter encounter and both Finland's Jari-Matti Latvala and Norway's Petter Solberg have Swedish victories to their names.
Latvala and co-driver Miikka Anttila claimed their maiden WRC victory at the Karlstad-based rally in 2008 and Solberg, now partnered by Chris Patterson, took the spoils in 2005. The Ford Fiesta RS World Rally Car that the two pairings will campaign also has a strong history in Sweden, having mastered the snow and ice to claim a podium clean sweep on its debut last season.
This year's rally spans both Sweden and Norway and temperatures in the barren countryside can plunge towards -30ºC, placing huge demands on man and machine. Keeping the Fiesta RS WRCs at peak performance in such unrelenting cold demands specific engineering solutions, while the only way for mechanics to work outside in such conditions is to pile on layer after layer of clothing.
But for the drivers, a winter wonderland where studded tyres, anti-glare sunglasses and heated driving boots are 'de rigueur', brings great anticipation.
Hundreds of tungsten-tipped steel studs protrude from each of Michelin's winter tyres to bite into the frozen road surface. They provide amazing grip and, paradoxically, Rally Sweden is one of the championship's fastest rounds. Drivers also 'lean' their cars against the solid snow banks that line the forest roads to help guide them around corners.
Latvala, who finished third in 2010 and 2011 to add to his 2008 victory, has his sights set on another podium. "That's my target. I was happy after the first day of my pre-event test. I concentrated on perfecting the car set-up, and that's now clear in my head. I was a little too aggressive with the settings last year so I've modified them slightly," he said.
"Driving on snow at such high speed is an incredible feeling. The driving style is more sideways than on gravel, using the throttle to pull the car straight again. It helps provide more lateral grip because when the car is at an angle and leaning, the traction is better.
"On pure ice the studs provide such good grip that the braking points are later than on gravel. That only changes when there is loose snow on the surface, which provides the same effect as driving on a rain-soaked road. The car 'snow-planes' and you must brake sooner," he added.
Rally Sweden ushers in a new qualifying procedure to the WRC. After two hours of free practice on Thursday morning, drivers will tackle one timed run over the same stage. They will then choose their preferred start position for the first leg, with the quickest qualifier having first choice ahead of the next fastest and so on.
"It's a great idea," said Solberg. "Every driver has the possibility to earn the start position they want with a good performance in qualifying. It also provides another opportunity for the media to talk about the rally in the build-up to the start."
Team News
* Regulations limit the team to just one tyre from partner Michelin. The X-Ice North will be equipped with 380 studs to provide maximum 'bite' in the snow and ice. Each stud is 20mm long and 4g in weight. However, just 7mm are exposed, with 13mm inserted into the tyre to provide a strong anchor.
* The Ford squad will complete a four-day test at Kall in northern Sweden tomorrow (Saturday). Latvala drove on Wednesday and Thursday, with Solberg taking the wheel for the final two days.
* Nine privately-entered Fiesta RS WRCs supplement the official cars. Ott Tänak / Kuldar Sikk and Evgeny Novikov / Denis Giraudet are nominated by M-Sport Ford World Rally Team, which has also entered Michal Solowow / Maciek Baran. Martin Prokop / Zdenek Hrùza are entered by the Czech Ford National Team. Individual entries have been placed by Matthew Wilson / Scott Martin, Norwegian trio Henning Solberg / Ilka Minor, Mads Østberg / Jonas Andersson and Eyvind Brynildsen / Cato Menkerud, and Finns Jari Ketomaa / Mika Stenberg.
Rally Route
The major change is a full day in Norway during Friday's opening leg, over roads used during the final running of Rally Norway in 2009. Otherwise the format is familiar, with the event based in Karlstad, the major service park at Hagfors Airport and stages in the Värmland and Dalarna regions of Sweden. After Thursday morning's qualifying test near Hagfors, the rally begins with a super special stage at Karlstad's trotting track that evening. The opening leg is the longest and includes six stages in Norway, as well as a test that starts in Sweden before crossing the border to finish in Norway. A remote service will be held in the Norwegian town of Kongsvinger. The final two days are based in the Dalarna region near Hagfors, almost all on roads used last year. The final 4.66km Hagfors Power Stage will offer bonus points for the fastest three drivers. The finish is in Karlstad's main square on Sunday afternoon, after 24 stages covering 349.16km in a route of 1842.60km.
