with Six of the best

BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila led Rally Australia after a tight day's competition in New South Wales today.  The Finns took full advantage of favourable road conditions to win six speed tests in their Ford Focus RS World Rally Car and take an overnight advantage of 2.2sec in this 10th round of the FIA World Rally Championship.  Team-mates and championship leaders Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen lie fifth in another Focus RS WRC.

After 19 years in Western Australia, the rally has made the 3600km journey to the east coast for the country's first WRC round since 2006.  Its new home at Kingscliff, in northern New South Wales, is close to the Queensland border and just south of the Gold Coast holiday area and Brisbane.

After two asphalt tests through the streets of Murwillumbah last night, today's action comprised two loops of special stages on gravel roads in the Tweed and Kyogle shires to the south-west.  The day ended with another double pass through the street tests.  Two stages were cancelled for safety reasons so competitors tackled 13 predominantly short tests, covering 84.13km, during this opening leg of the four-day event, and spent more than 14 hours behind the wheel today.

The day was a battle of the youngsters.  Twenty-four-year-old Latvala, fifth after last night's tests, took the lead on this morning's second stage from Sébastien Ogier, 25, and traded tenths of a second with the Frenchman throughout the rest of the morning.  He won three stages to return to the Kingscliff service park with a slender 1.1sec advantage.  Latvala then won all three country tests this afternoon to extend his lead to 7.4sec, before Ogier pegged him back in Murwillumbah's streets.

"I enjoyed the advantage of a good start position, which meant much of the slippery gravel on the road surface had been swept away, but I'm still quite surprised to be leading," admitted Latvala.  "I drove at 95 percent this morning and stepped that up to about 98 percent this afternoon.  That was fast enough because any quicker and the car would have slid too sideways and cost me time.  The grip level has changed constantly because after this morning's rain, some corners remained damp this afternoon.

"I hit a hole in the fourth stage which bent the steering on the left.  I tried not to think about it, drove normally and it worked.  The team replaced the cross-member at the lunchtime service.  I didn't want to play tactics and sacrifice time this afternoon for a better road position tomorrow.  It didn't make sense to give away time because the stages are so short that it would be hard to regain it again.  I think it's possible for a driver to win this rally from starting first on the road but it wouldn't be easy," he said. 

Hirvonen was first in the start order and enjoyed less favourable conditions.  The slippery stones presented few problems on fast sections but were a disadvantage on the twisty stretches, as his Focus RS WRC swept away the gravel to leave a cleaner and faster line for those behind.  Tellingly, he was quickest on this morning's second test at an average of more than 128kph, but dropped time on the final three stages of the loop, which were the slowest of the day.

He ended the morning fifth, having been third after his stage victory.  Although he regained third this afternoon, he eventually ended the day just 0.1sec behind fourth-placed Dani Sordo and 0.9sec behind title rival Sébastien Loeb in third.

"There was so much loose gravel this morning that even on the straights the car was spinning wheels in places," said 29-year-old Hirvonen.  "Considering how incredibly slippery it was, I'm pleased with my position and the time I've lost isn't so bad.  My fight is with Loeb and nobody else and I kept my sights firmly on him all day.  It was tough being the road sweeper but today is the most difficult of the three legs and the roads will be less slippery now.  My goal was not to lose too much time and I don't think I did too badly."

Lehtinen is celebrating his 100th world rally start and was presented with a special Australia rugby jersey to commemorate the feat by former Wallabies captain and double World Cup winner Tim Horan during yesterday's pre-event test.  Horan, who is in the area ahead of Australia's Tri-Nations Series game against South Africa in Brisbane tomorrow, also enjoyed a high speed passenger ride in a Focus RS WRC alongside BP Ford Abu Dhabi driver Khalid Al Qassimi.

Al Qassimi and Michael Orr held 10th in their Focus RS WRC until retiring in the seventh stage after striking a rock and breaking the car's steering.  They will restart tomorrow under SupeRally rules.  "Of course it is disappointing to withdraw now.  I lost an afternoon on the new Australian surfaces, but will continue to compete tomorrow and do my best to recover from this early setback," said Al Qassimi.

News from other Ford teams

Stobart VK M-Sport's Henning Solberg and Cato Menkerud are sixth in their Focus RS WRC, despite hitting a post this morning and feeling unhappy with their car's set-up.  Team-mates Matthew Wilson and Scott Martin are seventh.  They spun this morning and Wilson admitted he was struggling with his confidence.  Munchi's Federico Villagra and Jorge Perez Companc are eighth after a problem-free day. 

Tomorrow’s Route

The second leg offers more than 15 hours behind the wheel.  After leaving Kingscliff at 05.30, drivers journey south-west for a loop of four tests near Kyogle before returning to the rally base for midday service.  Another loop of four stages near Kyogle precedes a third and final visit to Murwillumbah for two more passes through the street stage.  Drivers return to Kingscliff for the final overnight halt at 20.55 after 10 stages covering 113.45km. 

Leaderboard after Day 1 1.  J-M Latvala/M Anttila               FIN             Ford Focus RS   53min 21.4sec 2.  S Ogier/J Ingrassia                 FRA             Citroen C4              53min 23.6sec 3.  S Loeb/D Elena                      FRA             Citroen C4              53min 44.1sec 4.  D Sordo/M Marti                     ESP             Citroen C4              53min 44.2sec 5.  M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen               FIN             Ford Focus RS   53min 45.0sec 6.  H Solberg/C Menkerud                NOR             Ford Focus RS   54min 12.7sec 7.  M Wilson/S Martin           GBR             Ford Focus RS   55min 03.8sec 8.  F Villagra/J Perez Companc  ARG             Ford Focus RS   55min 26.0sec 9.  C Rautenbach/D Barritt              ZIM             Citroen C4              55min 48.9sec 10 R Mason/S Mason                      NZL             Subaru Impreza  57min 37.7sec

Stage Times

Stage 1: 1. Ogier 1min 49.0sec; 2. Solberg + 0.8; 3= Latvala, Sordo + 1.9; 5. Loeb + 2.0; 6. Hirvonen + 3.5; 7. Al Qassimi + 6.5.

Stage 2: 1. Ogier 1min 46.1sec; 2. Loeb + 2.3; 3. Solberg + 2.7; 4. Sordo + 3.1; 5. Latvala + 3.2; 6. Hirvonen + 4.6; 9. Al Qassimi + 7.9.

Overall: 1. Ogier 3min 35.1sec; 2. Solberg + 3.5; 3. Loeb + 4.3; 4. Sordo + 5.0; 5. Latvala + 5.1; 6. Hirvonen + 8.1; 9. Al Qassimi + 14.4.

Stage 3: 1. Latvala 4min 05.5sec; 2. Loeb + 0.7; 3. Ogier + 1.4; 4. Hirvonen + 3.2; 5. Sordo + 3.5; 6. Wilson + 4.7; 10. Al Qassimi + 13.9.

Overall: 1. Ogier 7min 42.0sec; 2. Loeb + 3.6; 3. Latvala + 3.7; 4. Sordo + 7.1; 5. Solberg + 9.1; 6. Hirvonen + 8.1; 9. Al Qassimi + 26.9.

Stage 4: 1. Hirvonen 10min 27.3sec; 2. Latvala + 4.3; 3. Sordo + 6.9; 4. Loeb + 8.0; 5. Ogier + 9.7; 6. Solberg + 21.5; 10. Al Qassimi + 45.7.

Overall: 1. Latvala 18min 17.3sec; 2. Ogier + 1.7; 3. Hirvonen + 1.9; 4. Loeb + 3.6; 5. Sordo + 6.0; 6. Solberg + 22.6; 10. Al Qassimi + 1:04.6.

Stage 5: 1. Sordo 3min 59.1sec; 2. Ogier + 0.5; 3. Latvala + 1.0; 4. Loeb + 1.6; 5. Solberg + 3.7; 6. Hirvonen + 3.9; 9. Al Qassimi + 8.9.

Overall: 1. Latvala 22min 17.4sec; 2. Ogier + 1.2; 3. Loeb + 4.2; 4. Hirvonen + 4.8; 5. Sordo + 5.0; 6. Solberg + 25.3; 10. Al Qassimi + 1:12.5.

Stage 6: Cancelled

Stage 7: 1. Latvala 4min 41.7sec; 2. Ogier + 0.1; 3. Loeb + 1.5; 4. Sordo + 2.6; 5. Hirvonen + 2.7; 6. Solberg + 5.1. Overall: 1. Latvala 26min 59.1sec; 2. Ogier + 1.3; 3. Loeb + 5.7; 4. Hirvonen + 7.5; 5. Sordo + 7.6; 6. Solberg + 30.4.

Stage 8: 1. Latvala 4min 29.4sec; 2. Ogier + 1.7; 3. Sordo + 3.3; 4= Hirvonen, Loeb + 4.9; 6. Solberg + 5.7. Overall: 1. Latvala 31min 28.5sec; 2. Ogier + 3.0; 3. Loeb + 10.6; 4. Sordo + 10.9; 5. Hirvonen + 12.4; 6. Solberg + 36.1.

Stage 9: 1. Ogier 4min 38.9sec; 2. Latvala + 1.9; 3. Sordo + 3.4; 4. Solberg + 3.8; 5. Loeb + 5.7; 6. Hirvonen + 6.1. Overall: 1. Latvala 36min 09.3sec; 2. Ogier + 1.1; 3. Sordo + 12.4; 4. Loeb + 14.4; 5. Hirvonen + 16.6; 6. Solberg + 38.0.

Stage 10: 1. Latvala 4min 29.3sec; 2. Hirvonen + 1.8; 3. Sordo + 2.1; 4. Ogier + 2.7; 5. Solberg + 5.1; 6. Loeb + 5.7. Overall: 1. Latvala 40min 38.6sec; 2. Ogier + 3.8; 3. Sordo + 14.5; 4. Hirvonen + 18.4; 5. Loeb + 20.1; 6. Solberg + 43.1.

Stage 11: Cancelled

Stage 12: 1. Latvala 4min 36.7sec; 2. Hirvonen + 0.3; 3. Sordo + 1.5; 4. Ogier + 2.0; 5. Loeb + 2.5; 6. Solberg + 5.6. Overall: 1. Latvala 45min 15.3sec; 2. Ogier + 5.8; 3. Sordo + 16.0; 4. Hirvonen + 18.7; 5. Loeb + 22.6; 6. Solberg + 48.7.

Stage 13: 1. Latvala 4min 26.0sec; 2. Hirvonen + 1.2; 3. Ogier + 1.6; 4. Solberg + 3.7; 5. Loeb + 4.1; 6. Sordo + 6.7. Overall: 1. Latvala 49min 41.3sec; 2. Ogier + 7.4; 3. Hirvonen + 19.9; 4. Sordo + 22.7; 5. Loeb + 26.7; 6. Solberg + 52.4.

Stage 14: 1. Ogier 1min 48.1sec; 2. Loeb + 0.6; 3. Solberg + 1.9; 4= Latvala, Sordo + 2.9; 6. Hirvonen + 4.6. Overall: 1. Latvala 51min 32.3sec; 2. Ogier + 4.5; 3. Hirvonen + 21.6; 4. Sordo + 22.7; 5. Loeb + 24.4; 6. Solberg + 51.4.

Stage 15: 1. Ogier 1min 46.8sec; 2. Loeb + 0.6; 3. Solberg + 2.2; 4. Latvala + 2.3; 5. Sordo + 2.4; 6. Hirvonen + 4.3. Overall: 1. Latvala 53min 21.4sec; 2. Ogier + 2.2; 3. Loeb + 22.7; 4. Sordo + 22.8; 5. Hirvonen + 23.6; 6. Solberg + 51.3.