It is a shame that there a no fans of WRC on PW
WRC ITALY on Star Sports @ 11:00 Pm
In a surprising ending, Marcus Gronholm won the Rally Sardinia in Italy after Sebastian Loeb retired from today's first stage. Loeb was the leader going into today's stages and looked like he would stay there to the finish. This all came to an end when he lost control over a jump and smacked a rock; Loeb was unable to go any further.
It was sunny skies and warm temperatures again as Gronholm's Ford Focus RS and the rest of the World Rally Championship competitors completed the final leg of the rally. The stages were varied with fast open sections leading to narrow and twisty bits. Large rocks were the troublemakers for the teams during much of the rally.
One man that was caught out by the Italian rocks earlier was rally winner Gronholm. He damaged his suspension on a rock in the first leg of the rally. Problems for the Finn continued on the second day. He lost his spare tire on a stage, leaving him wising he still had it when a puncture came on the very next stage. Even with these set backs he managed to retain second place and was ready to take advantage of Loeb's retirement. Today's win is the 27th for Gronholm, making him the second most winning driver to have raced in the WRC. He now leads the driver's championship seven points over Loeb.
Gronholm's teammate Mikko Hirvonen took the second podium spot giving Ford a well earned one-two finish and a commanding lead for the manufactures' title. Hirvonen had a fantastic rally by keeping out of trouble while still matching pace with the leaders. Hirvonen is credited with setting the fastest times in three of the six stages ran today.
Citroen was not fully left out after Loeb's retirement. Dani Sordo to the final spot on the podium in his C4 and gave the team much needed points. Sordo is still getting used to racing on gravel and a third place finish shows how much he as already learned.
Loeb's retirement occurred when he admittedly took a jump to fast on today's opening stage. The Frenchman's early-out means he lost the lead for the championship but is not out of the running just yet. Loeb described what happened today in his own words:
"I had difficulty finding the ideal pace from the very start," he relates. "I felt that I wasn't driving well and I had to push myself. It was starting to get a little better, but about halfway into the stage, on a fast portion which I had noted a little too optimistically, I hit the crest a little too fast and the car went light. I was no longer on the ideal line for the following right-hander and I had a wheel slightly on the verge. I tried to bring the car back in line but then I hit a big rock with my front left wheel.
The Solberg brothers, Henning and Petter, finished fourth and fifth respectively and are now tied in points. Henning tried his best to chase down Dani Sordo in third but in the end finished almost 15s behind. The battling pair both won stages today, Henning with two fast times and Sordo answering back with one.
Petter decided not to catch his brother, feeling that the risk of making a mistake was just too great if he attacked. Petter kept the Subaru running to the finish and will be ready for another charge to win in Greece.
Next up on the WRC calendar is the Acropolis Rally near Athens, Greece in two weeks time. This rally is much like Sardinia, only worse. Hot temperatures and rough, rocky terrain will mean even the top teams have to worry about retirements like Loeb's today.
Results
1. 3 A8 M. Gronholm FIN Ford Focus RS WRC 3:48:42.0
2. 4 A8 M. Hirvonen FIN Ford Focus RS WRC 3:49:11.2 29.2 29.2
3. 2 A8 D. Sordo E Citroen C4 WRC 3:50:03.8 52.6 1:21.8