WRC Rally GB Dec 4-7 talk/results spoiler*

***Weasel 555*** · 12-06-2008 06:08 AM

Subaru team boss David Richards has hit out at the FIA and slammed the current tyre regulations after the shenanigans that severely disrupted day one of the Wales Rally GB.

Richards believes that what happened on Friday was a travesty for the sport and the spectators. Indeed he is livid that the competitive mileage had to be cut by more than 50 per cent and all because competitors only had gravel tyres, while conditions were icy and snowy.

Speaking at the end of the leg, DR added that the solution is obvious and he reiterated calls for an emergency tyre should conditions be abnormal.

"It's been an extremely frustrating day. For some time now, after the introduction of the control tyre, we have said that there should be an emergency tyre available in the event of extreme conditions," he explained.

"When conditions are like today, it should be at the discretion of the clerk-of-the-course to use them. We should not find ourselves in a situation where we are not able to deliver to spectators, who have had an even more frustrating day than us.

"One of my guys drove down from Warwickshire at 6am today and hasn't seen a rally car in action. How can we turn round to the general public and say that it was too slippery for the best drivers in the world to perform? It makes a mockery of the whole sport.

"We've repeatedly spoken to the FIA about this and we've been told it's too complicated to sort out. We don't accept this."

read more:
Crash.net Tyre Rules to blame for mess

***Weasel 555*** · 12-06-2008 07:34 AM

Mikko Hirvonen storms through SS12 of the Wales Rally GB - and sets a time 15.5 seconds quicker than anyone else.

Top five stage times for SS12:
1. Mikko Hirvonen BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC 08 16mins 19.9secs M
2. Sebastien Loeb Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC +00min 15.5secs M
3. Petter Solberg Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2008 +00mins 15.7secs M
4. Jari-Matti Latvala BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC 08 +00mins 16.0secs M
5. Henning Solberg Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 +00mins 19.1secs A8

Overall times after SS12:
1. Jari-Matti Latvala BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC 08 1hour 26mins 33.9secs M
2. Sebastien Loeb Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC +00mins 08.4secs M
3. Daniel Sordo Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC +00mins 21.4secs M
4. Petter Solberg Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2008 +00mins 46.0secs M
5. Mads Ostberg Adapta WRT Subaru WRC +01mins 28.9secs A8
6. Per-Gunnar Andersson Suzuki WRT SX4 WRC +01mins 41.3secs M
7. Henning Solberg Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 +01mins 52.5secs A8
8. Francois Duval Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 +01mins 56.6secs MT
9. Toni Gardemeister Suzuki WRT SX4 WRC +02mins 54.6secs M
10. Matthew Wilson Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 +03mins 56.7secs MT
11. Barry Clark Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 +04mins 34.7secs A8
12. Mikko Hirvonen BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC 08 04mins 44.6secs M

***Weasel 555*** · 12-06-2008 09:06 AM

Overall times after SS14:
1. Jari-Matti Latvala BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC 08 1hour 46mins 52.4secs M
2. Sebastien Loeb Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC +00mins 10.8secs M
3. Daniel Sordo Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC +00mins 30.0secs M
4. Petter Solberg Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2008 +00mins 55.6secs M
5. Per-Gunnar Andersson Suzuki WRT SX4 WRC +02mins 07.3secs M
6. Henning Solberg Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 +02mins 10.8secs A8
7. Francois Duval Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 +02mins 32.5secs MT
8. Toni Gardemeister Suzuki WRT SX4 WRC +03mins 34.5secs M
9. Mikko Hirvonen BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC 08 04mins 46.7secs M
10. Matthew Wilson Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 +04mins 50.9secs MT

16. Valentino Rossi Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 +09mins 38.0secs A8

Overall PWRC after SS14:
1. Patrick Flodin Subaru Impreza WRX STi 1hour 54mins 42.4secs P / B
2. Patrik Sandell Peugeot 207 S2000 +00mins 20.8secs P
3. Andreas Aigner Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +00mins 47.0secs P

***Weasel 555*** · 12-07-2008 04:35 AM

End of Day 2:
Overall times after SS15:
1. Jari-Matti Latvala BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC 08 1hour 47mins 52.4secs M
2. Sebastien Loeb Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC +00mins 07.3secs M
3. Daniel Sordo Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC +00mins 27.9secs M
4. Petter Solberg Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2008 +00mins 52.5secs M
5. Per-Gunnar Andersson Suzuki WRT SX4 WRC +02mins 06.1secs M
6. Henning Solberg Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 +02mins 09.3secs A8
7. Francois Duval Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 +02mins 29.6secs MT
8. Toni Gardemeister Suzuki WRT SX4 WRC +03mins 33.0secs M
9. Mikko Hirvonen BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC 08 04mins 44.5secs M
10. Matthew Wilson Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 +04mins 49.5secs MT

Overall PWRC after SS15:
1. Patrick Flodin Subaru Impreza WRX STi 1hour 54mins 42.4secs P / B
2. Patrik Sandell Peugeot 207 S2000 +00mins 18.7secs P
3. Andreas Aigner Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +00mins 46.5secs P
--------------------------------------------------------

Day 3:
Overall times after SS16:

1. Jari-Matti Latvala BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC 08 2hours 04mins 12.5secs M
2. Sebastien Loeb Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC +00mins 02.2secs M
3. Daniel Sordo Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC +00mins 33.1secs M
4. Petter Solberg Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2008 +01mins 06.6secs M
5. Per-Gunnar Andersson Suzuki WRT SX4 WRC +02mins 34.1secs M
6. Henning Solberg Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 +02mins 51.7secs A8
7. Francois Duval Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 +03mins 20.6secs MT
8. Toni Gardemeister Suzuki WRT SX4 WRC +04mins 03.3secs M
9. Mikko Hirvonen BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC 08 05mins 07.5secs M
10. Matthew Wilson Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 +06mins 02.7secs MT

Overall PWRC after SS16:
1. Patrick Flodin Subaru Impreza WRX STi 1hour 54mins 42.4secs P / B
2. Patrik Sandell Peugeot 207 S2000 +00mins 32.7secs P
3. Andreas Aigner Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +01mins 03.5secs P

-------------------------------------------------------
Overall times after SS17:

1. Jari-Matti Latvala BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC 08 2hours 15mins 31.2secs M
2. Sebastien Loeb Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC +00mins 01.4secs M
3. Daniel Sordo Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC +00mins 42.9secs M
4. Petter Solberg Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2008 +01mins 29.3secs M
5. Per-Gunnar Andersson Suzuki WRT SX4 WRC +02mins 57.5secs M
6. Henning Solberg Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 +03mins 08.8secs A8
7. Francois Duval Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 +03mins 48.1secs MT
8. Toni Gardemeister Suzuki WRT SX4 WRC +04mins 28.3secs M
9. Mikko Hirvonen BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC 08 05mins 21.2secs M
10. Matthew Wilson Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 +06mins 56.2secs MT

Overall PWRC after SS17:
1. Patrick Flodin Subaru Impreza WRX STi 2hours 26mins 23.0secs P / B
2. Patrik Sandell Peugeot 207 S2000 +00mins 01.0secs P
3. Andreas Aigner Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +00mins 57.7secs P

***Weasel 555*** · 12-07-2008 04:50 AM

Sebastien Loeb takes his third stage win in a row - but a 10-second penalty for jumping the start stops him from taking the overall lead.

Overall times after SS18:
1. Jari-Matti Latvala BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC 08 2hours 32mins 05.8secs M
2. Sebastien Loeb Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC +00mins 02.2secs M
3. Daniel Sordo Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC +00mins 58.2secs M
4. Petter Solberg Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2008 +01mins 35.8secs M
5. Per-Gunnar Andersson Suzuki WRT SX4 WRC +03mins 22.3secs M
6. Francois Duval Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 +04mins 16.0secs MT
7. Toni Gardemeister Suzuki WRT SX4 WRC +04mins 53.1secs M
8. Mikko Hirvonen BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC 08 05mins 20.7secs M
9. Matthew Wilson Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 +07mins 26.7secs MT
10. Barry Clark Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 +08mins 45.7secs A8

Overall PWRC after SS18:
1. Patrick Flodin Subaru Impreza WRX STi 2hours 43mins 50.5secs P / B
2. Patrik Sandell Peugeot 207 S2000 +00mins 11.2secs P
3. Andreas Aigner Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +01mins 19.6secs P

***Weasel 555*** · 12-07-2008 05:02 AM

SS19:Citroen number one driver Sebastien Loeb came through to snatch the win on the Rally GB on Sunday, the final round in the 2008 World Rally Championship.

Loeb, who trailed Jari-Matti Latvala for most of the event, put in a charge this morning and despite picking up a 10 second penalty - for jumping the start prior to SS18 - he did enough to take the laurels, the very first time he has managed to do so in Wales.

It was smiles all round for Citroen at the finish, as the French marque not only won and had two cars on the podium, with Dani Sordo third behind Latvala, but the 1-3 result was more than ample to ensure the squad took the manufacturers'.

The BP Ford Abu Dhabi WRT meanwhile had to be content with the runners-up spot, both in Wales and in the manufacturers'.

Further down the order, Petter Solberg came in fourth for Subaru, while Per-Gunnar Andersson was fifth followed by Francois Duval, Toni Gardemeister and Mikko Hirvonen.

***Weasel 555*** · 12-07-2008 07:03 AM

Overall times after SS19 / Day 3 - Top 20:
1. Sebastien Loeb Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC 2hours 43mins 19.6secs M
2. Jari-Matti Latvala BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC 08 +00mins 02.7secs M
3. Daniel Sordo Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC +01mins 10.6secs M
4. Petter Solberg Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2008 +01mins 49.6secs M

5. Per-Gunnar Andersson Suzuki WRT SX4 WRC +03mins 54.1secs M
6. Francois Duval Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 +04mins 57.8secs MT
7. Toni Gardemeister Suzuki WRT SX4 WRC +05mins 15.0secs M
8. Mikko Hirvonen BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC 08 05mins 28.8secs M
9. Matthew Wilson Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 +08mins 03.9secs MT
10. Barry Clark Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 +09mins 43.1secs A8
11. Patrick Flodin Subaru Impreza WRX STi +12mins 41.7secs P / B
12. Valentino Rossi Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 +13mins 10.4secs A8
13. Andreas Aigner Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +14mins 23.8secs P
14. Guy Wilks Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +14mins 49.4secs P / B
15. Conrad Rautenbach PH Sport-Citroen C4 WRC +15mins 11.3secs A8
16. Khalid Al Qassimi BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC 08 +15mins 14.2secs A8
17. Jari Ketomaa Subaru Impreza WRX STi +17mins 28.6secs P
18. Gwyndaf Evans Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +19mins 53.2secs N4 / B
19. Steve Perez Stobart VK Ford Focus +20mins 30.7secs A8
20. Hermann Gassner Jr Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +23mins 52.0secs N4

Overall PWRC after SS19 / Day 3:
1. Patrick Flodin Subaru Impreza WRX STi 2hours 56mins 01.3secs P / B
2. Andreas Aigner Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +01mins 42.1secs P
3. Guy Wilks Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +02mins 07.7secs P / B
4. Jari Ketomaa Subaru Impreza WRX STi +04mins 46.9secs P
5. Jaromir Tarabus Fiat Grande Punto S2000 +12mins 17.3secs P
6. Spyros Pavlides Subaru Impreza WRX STi +25mins 18.0secs P
7. Armindo Araujo Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +28mins 52.6secs P
8. David Higgins Subaru Impreza WRX STi +32mins 16.5secs P / B
9. Bernardo Sousa Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +33mins 59.4secs P
10. Simone Campedelli Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +55mins 54.8secs P

edit:
Sebastien Loeb's winning margin on Wales Rally GB has grown to 12.7 seconds after his jump start penalty for SS18 was removed, organisers have confirmed.

"Officials discovered a glitch in the timing system after reviewing all the times for the stage," read a statement to the press.

"However, Loeb was unaware the penalty had been rescinded as he completed the rally's final stage [SS19], battling for the win with Jari-Matti Latvala."
As a result, it is no longer the closest finish ever on Rally GB. That remains the 2004 edition, when Petter Solberg beat Loeb by 6.3 seconds.

***Weasel 555*** · 12-07-2008 07:15 AM

2008 Drivers Championship
1.Sebastien Loeb -- 122
2.Mikko Hirvonen --103
3.Daniel Sordo -- 65
4.Jari-Matta Latvala -58
5.Chris Atkinson -- 50
6.Petter Solberg -- 46
7.Francois Duval -- 25
8.Henning Solberg - 22
9.Gigi Galli -------- 17

2008 Manufacturers Championship
1.CITROEN TOTAL WRT -- 191
2.BP FORD ABU DHABI WRT -- 173
3.SUBARU WRT -- 98
4.STOBART VK M-SPORT FORD RT -- 67
5.SUZUKI WRT -- 34
6.MUNCHI'S FORD WRT -- 22

read more:
Crash.net 2008 Championship Tables

**mbs627** · 12-07-2008 09:00 AM

Damn! I knew he'd jump out and grab the win!

Also, WTF is with Rallytorrents (even tho I'm really not looking forward to watching this cluster-chuck).