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Hat-trick hero Hirvonen bids to move on up Down Under

BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team takes its four-event winning run to Australia next week intent on strengthening its lead in the FIA World Rally Championship drivers' standings.  Three successive victories for Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen in the record-breaking Ford Focus RS World Rally Car have propelled the Finnish duo into a three-point advantage ahead of a new-look Rally Australia (3 - 6 September).

The rally returns to the series for the first time since 2006 and after 19 years in Western Australia, it has crossed the country to the east coast.  Its new base is the small resort of Kingscliff in the far north-east of New South Wales, close to the border with Queensland and just a few kilometres south of the famous Gold Coast holiday region and Brisbane.

The Ford squad is surfing a wave of success after equalling the team's best ever winning run in the WRC last month.  Victory for Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila in Italy preceded Hirvonen's hat-trick in Greece, Poland and an emotional home town success in Finland.  Just three of the 12 rounds remain and the virgin rally territory of the Tweed region, home to the Aboriginal people for 10,000 years, and the Kyogle area, known as The Gateway to the Rainforest, will provide a tough challenge.

Drivers will only begin to develop an understanding of the characteristics of the gravel roads once the recce begins on Tuesday.  However, BP Ford Abu Dhabi tyre engineer George Black visited the area last year to examine the nature of the speed tests.  The average special stage length is the shortest in the series, reflecting the rally's proximity to populated areas where gravel roads are less frequent. 

The tests vary greatly, ranging from narrow and twisty routes among trees near Kingscliff that are used during the first leg, to quick, wide and smooth roads further west where speeds are expected to be close to those experienced in Finland, the championship's fastest round.  The most westerly roads, used during the final leg, incorporate narrow rainforest tracks.  Each loop of stages has a mix of roads so selecting the best compromise set-up for the Focus RS World Rally Cars will be important.

Hirvonen claimed his first WRC win in Australia in 2006 but the 29-year-old Finn acknowledges that will count for nothing on new roads.  "This is a brand new rally so I don't know what to expect," he said.  "The roads in the west where I won in 2006 are different to those we will experience here.  The tracks were covered in slippery marble-like stones but I understand these roads are more traditional gravel, which should suit me.  I love Australia, the people are friendly and easy going - like me!

"It's a crucial rally for the championship.  I will try to win but if I can't, then I must score as many points as possible.  Zero points and the title fight could be over for me this year.  I have a good record on new rallies, although I don't feel I do anything differently in either the recce or the rally itself.  But I'll be happy if I can maintain that record," added Hirvonen, who hopes to help 40-year-old Lehtinen celebrate his 100th WRC start in style.

Latvala, starting his third Rally Australia, identified the arduous schedule as a key factor.  Drivers must spend more than 14 hours behind the wheel during the first leg, over 15 hours on the second day and more than 11 hours on the usually short final leg. 

"They are long days and it will be important to adapt quickly to the time difference after the flight there and sleep a lot to be ready for this rally," said Latvala.  "Maintaining concentration will be harder than usual.  In most rallies the stages are held in groups of three, but it's different here.  The opening section on the first leg includes seven tests so it will be important to remain focused during the long liaison sections.

"Shorter stages usually mean the competition is close because it's more difficult to open big time gaps on short tests than it is on longer sections.  The drivers' championship is looking set for an exciting finish and my job in Australia will be to score solid points to help Mikko maintain his challenge for the title," added 24-year-old Latvala.  

Abu Dhabi's Khalid Al Qassimi and Michael Orr will drive a third Focus RS WRC for the team.  Al Qassimi is eager to maintain the form that has seen the 37-year-old driver claim points on four occasions from six outings this year.  "I am very much looking forward to the Australian east coast rally experience.  The stages will be new to everyone, so we are all in the same position to give it our best shot and get the most out of the challenge.  I have great confidence in my car and the team, so I just need to prove that I can perform on the unknown stages," said Al Qassimi.

Team News

* Tyre partner Pirelli will provide BP Ford Abu Dhabi with just the one regulation tyre pattern.  The Scorpion gravel tyre will be available in hard compound only.  Teams are not allowed to hand-carve additional cuts into the rubber and each car can carry two spare wheels. 

* Three other Focus RS WRCs will start.  Henning Solberg / Cato Menkerud and Matthew Wilson / Scott Martin are nominated by the Stobart VK M-Sport squad while Federico Villagra / Jorge Perez Companc will drive for the Munchi's Ford team.

* During their visit to Sydney for promotional activities, Hirvonen / Lehtinen and Latvala / Anttila will attend the Sydney Swans v Brisbane Lions Australian Rules football match tomorrow (Saturday) evening at the Sydney Cricket Ground.  It is the final game of the season for the Ford-backed Swans.

Rally Route

The rally is based in Kingscliff, on the Tweed Coast, which will also host the service park.  The stages will all be based in the Tweed and Kyogle shires to the south-west.  Two passes of an asphalt super special stage around the streets of Murwillumbah begin the action on Thursday and will also end the competition on Friday and Saturday.  The opening leg is the shortest, with much of the action based close to Murwillumbah, before Saturday's route takes competitors further west for stages clustered around Kyogle.  The final leg is the longest, journeying west of Kyogle with a remote service based in the town's main street.  A live TV stage ends the action before the finish back in Kingscliff.  Drivers tackle 35 stages covering 344.72km of competition in a route of 1733.75km.

For more information: Contact Mark Wilford or Georgina Finney at the BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team media desk in Kingscliff  Tel: + 61 2 6674 8454.  Images available at www.worldrallypics.com/ford

RALLY AUSTRALIA

ROUND 10 FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

3 - 6 September 2009

Thursday 3 September: Day 1 Murwillumbah - Kingscliff

Start   Murwillumbah                    18.45
SS1     Tweed I         2.55km  18.53
SS2     Tweed II                2.55km  19.08
Finish  Kingscliff                      19.48

 

Friday 4 September: Day 1 (continued) Kingscliff - Kingscliff

Serv A  Kingscliff (15 mins)                    05.30
SS3     Kyogle I                          7.32km        07.38
SS4     Repco I                 22.41km 08.36
SS5     Kyogle II                         7.32km        09.24  
SS6     CTEK East I                     11.33km 10.37
SS7     Mooball I                       5.85km  11.40
SS8     Kidney Health I                 5.74km  11.58
SS9     Castrol Edge East I               6.85km        12.16
Serv B  Kingscliff (30 mins)                    13.05
SS10    Castrol Edge East II              6.85km        14.03
SS11    CTEK East II                    11.33km 15.03
SS12    Mooball II                      5.85km  16.06
SS13    Kidney Health II                        5.74km  16.24
SS14    Tweed III               2.55km  18.30
SS15    Tweed IV                2.55km  18.45
Serv C  Kingscliff (45 mins)                    19.25
Finish  Kingscliff                              20.10

Total                               106.79km

 

Saturday 5 September: Day 2 Kingscliff - Kingscliff

Serv D  Kingscliff (15 mins)                    05.30
SS16    Dayco I                 20.31km 07.28
SS17    Bosch I                 18.75km 08.13
SS18    Armor All I                       8.20km        09.04
SS19    Urliup                  5.24km  10.42
Serv E  Kingscliff (30 mins)                    11.42
SS20    Armor All II                      8.20km        13.55
SS21    CTEK West I                       8.59km        14.34
SS22    Dayco II                        20.31km 15.27
SS23    Bosch II                        18.75km 16.12
SS24    Tweed V         2.55km  19.15
SS25    Tweed VI                2.55km  19.30
Serv F  Kingscliff (45 mins)                    20.10
Finish  Kingscliff                              20.55

Total                           113.45km

 

Saturday 6 September: Day 3 Kingscliff - Kingscliff

Serv G  Kingscliff (15 mins)                    05.00
SS26    Monroe I                  7.40km        07.14
SS27    Castrol Edge West I             21.52km 07.36
SS28    Gondwana I              10.88km 08.37
SS29    Upper Clarence I                  6.94km        08.56
SS30    CTEK West II                      8.59km        09.40
Serv H  Kyogle (15 mins)                        10.17
SS31    Monroe II                 7.40km        11.03
SS32    Castrol Edge West II            21.52km 11.25
SS33    Gondwana II             10.88km 12.26
SS34    Upper Clarence II                 6.94km        12.45
SS35    Repco II                        22.41km 13.27
Serv I  Kingscliff (10 mins)                    16.04
Finish  Kingscliff                              16.14

Total                           124.48km
Rally total                         344.72km

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