Rally Sweden 5th - 8th February 2014
LATVALA BAGS HIS THIRD AFTER MIKKELSEN MELTS AWAY
Leg 1 - The event started with the Thursday evening Karlstad Superspecial before the crews crossed over the border and into Norway on Friday - bookended by two runs of the Torsby stage, this would be the format of the opening day for the following few years. Works Volkswagen pair Andreas Mikkelsen and Sébastien Ogier topped the times in Karlstad, the young Norwegian leading the world champion by 0.8 seconds. The roles were reversed when the crews entered Friday's forest stages as Ogier swept ahead by 3.0 seconds from Mikkelsen, with Ott Tänak's private Fiesta in third and Jari-Matti Latvala in fourth, the quartet covered by 4.3 seconds after SS2, Torsby 1. Ogier's hot pace continued with another fastest time on SS3, Kirkenær 1, but over the following three stages Mikkelsen showed he's not one to back down from a fight - taking the lead from Ogier by a scant 0.2 seconds on SS6, Finnskogen 2. Ogier reasserted himself up front in the dark of SS7, Torsby 2, to regain the lead overnight by 5.8 seconds from Mikkelsen, Latvala completed an all-Volkswagen top three another 6.4 seconds back. Tänak held fourth overnight from the squabbling Mads Østberg and Mikko Hirvonen, who were tied on time in fifth and sixth.
Top 6 after Leg 1
1. Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia - Volkswagen Polo WRC 39:56.5
2. Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula - Volkswagen Polo WRC +5.8
3. Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila - Volkswagen Polo WRC +12.2
4. Ott Tänak/Raigo Mõlder - Ford Fiesta WRC +14.8
5. Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson - Citroën DS3 WRC +22.5
6. Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen - Ford Fiesta WRC +22.5
Leg 2 - Temperatures above zero made for slushy conditions on the stages and disaster struck erstwhile rally leader Ogier on the first stage of the day, SS8 Lesjöfors 1, when he slid off into a snowbank and tumbled down the leaderboard with a loss of some four minutes. This elevated Mikkelsen to the head of the pack, with the other Polo WRC of a charging Latvala just 0.6 seconds in arrears. The Norwegian added 2.7 seconds to his lead on SS9, Fredriksberg 1, but on SS10, Rämmen 1, Latvala went through 5.1 seconds faster, after a mistake from Mikkelsen, and into a 1.6-second lead at service. A costly spin for Tänak on SS8 saw him fall behind both Østberg and Hirvonen to fifth, as 16.3 seconds covered the trio. Latvala bested Mikkelsen on each of the first three stages after service to build a 10.1-second cushion as rain started to fall, making the stages even more tricky. On SS15, Hagfors Sprint 2, that gap was halved, with a gripless Latvala suffering a loss of studs, and then the fastest time for Mikkelsen on the day-ending Karlstad Superspecial brought the gap down to a slender 3.6 seconds heading into Sunday. Østberg held third despite being stuck behind a recovering Robert Kubica on SS12, Lesjöfors 2, after the Pole had visited a snowbank. Two Fiestas completed the top five, with former Rally Sweden winner Hirvonen 6.0 seconds clear of Tänak - who briefly got ahead on SS12. Kris Meeke ended the day in sixth after Juho Hänninen took a wheel off of his new Hyundai i20 WRC in SS12.
Top 6 after Leg 2
1. Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila - Volkswagen Polo WRC 1:48:47.6
2. Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula - Volkswagen Polo WRC +3.6
3. Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson - Citroën DS3 WRC +43.0
4. Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen - Ford Fiesta WRC +1:02.7
5. Ott Tänak/Raigo Mõlder - Ford Fiesta WRC +1:08.7
6. Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle - Citroën DS3 WRC +2:31.2
Leg 3 - Mild temperatures and overnight rain meant a slippery concoction of mud and slush lay ahead of the crews and it was Latvala who mastered the conditions best, winning all four of the morning's stages to sit a handsome 42.7 seconds clear at service - helped by a spin for the chasing Mikkelsen on SS18, Torntorp 1, which effectively ended the fight for the win. Latvala added another 10.9 seconds to his lead over the shortened second loop, as SS21 Hara 2 succumbed to the mild weather, to run out victorious by 53.6 seconds from Mikkelsen. The Finn also bagged a couple of extra points for the second-fastest time on the Powerstage behind third-placed finisher Østberg. The Fiestas of Hirvonen and Tänak rounded out the top five, whilst a fighting drive from Ogier after his day 2 off saw him come home in sixth.
Top 10 Results
1. Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila - Volkswagen Polo WRC 3:00:31.1
2. Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula - Volkswagen Polo WRC +3:01:24.7 +53.6
3. Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson - Citroën DS3 WRC 3:01:30.6 +59.5 +5.9
4. Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen - Ford Fiesta WRC 3:02:58.0 +2:26.9 +1:27.4
5. Ott Tänak/Raigo Mõlder - Ford Fiesta WRC 3:03:31.6 +3:00.5 +1:29.4
6. Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia - Volkswagen Polo WRC 3:05:01.0 +4:29.9 +1:29.4
7. Henning Solberg/Ilka Minor - Ford Fiesta WRC 3:05:18.6 +4:47.5 +17.6
8. Pontus Tidemand/Ola Fløene - Ford Fiesta WRC 3:06:09.3 +5:38.2 +50.7
9. Craig Breen/Scott Martin - Ford Fiesta WRC 3:09:26.5 +8:55.4 +3:17.2
10. Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle - Citroën DS3 WRC 3:11:49.1 +11:18.0 +2:22.6
Jari-Matti Latvala quote - "It feels amazing to win this rally... two times, now this. It's a long time since Greece. I have been concentrating the whole week."
WRC2 - There was drama in the supporting WRC2 class when, on the final stage, Karl Kruuda overturned an 18.7-second deficit to steal the win from the gripless Jari Ketomaa by 2.3 seconds. The Estonian had trailed Ketomaa by 2 minutes 24.2 seconds on Friday night, having been hampered by a transmission problem which left him with two-wheel drive only and also suffering a spin. Leader at the start of the final day, Yazeed Al-Rajhi, lost the lead with a spin on SS22, Torntorp 2, but was still only 1.1 seconds down going into SS23, Vargåsen 2. Mounting a big effort to regain the lead, he then rolled just after Colin's Crest - consigning him to fourth place behind Fredrik Åhlin.
1. Karl Kruuda/Martin Järveoja - Ford Fiesta S2000 3:14:40.2
2. Jari Ketomaa/Kaj Lindström - Ford Fiesta R5 3:14:42.5 +2.3
3. Fredrik Åhlin/Morten Erik Abrahamsen - Ford Fiesta R5 3:16:08.3 +1:28.1
Leg 1 - The event started with the Thursday evening Karlstad Superspecial before the crews crossed over the border and into Norway on Friday - bookended by two runs of the Torsby stage, this would be the format of the opening day for the following few years. Works Volkswagen pair Andreas Mikkelsen and Sébastien Ogier topped the times in Karlstad, the young Norwegian leading the world champion by 0.8 seconds. The roles were reversed when the crews entered Friday's forest stages as Ogier swept ahead by 3.0 seconds from Mikkelsen, with Ott Tänak's private Fiesta in third and Jari-Matti Latvala in fourth, the quartet covered by 4.3 seconds after SS2, Torsby 1. Ogier's hot pace continued with another fastest time on SS3, Kirkenær 1, but over the following three stages Mikkelsen showed he's not one to back down from a fight - taking the lead from Ogier by a scant 0.2 seconds on SS6, Finnskogen 2. Ogier reasserted himself up front in the dark of SS7, Torsby 2, to regain the lead overnight by 5.8 seconds from Mikkelsen, Latvala completed an all-Volkswagen top three another 6.4 seconds back. Tänak held fourth overnight from the squabbling Mads Østberg and Mikko Hirvonen, who were tied on time in fifth and sixth.
Top 6 after Leg 1
1. Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia - Volkswagen Polo WRC 39:56.5
2. Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula - Volkswagen Polo WRC +5.8
3. Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila - Volkswagen Polo WRC +12.2
4. Ott Tänak/Raigo Mõlder - Ford Fiesta WRC +14.8
5. Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson - Citroën DS3 WRC +22.5
6. Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen - Ford Fiesta WRC +22.5
Leg 2 - Temperatures above zero made for slushy conditions on the stages and disaster struck erstwhile rally leader Ogier on the first stage of the day, SS8 Lesjöfors 1, when he slid off into a snowbank and tumbled down the leaderboard with a loss of some four minutes. This elevated Mikkelsen to the head of the pack, with the other Polo WRC of a charging Latvala just 0.6 seconds in arrears. The Norwegian added 2.7 seconds to his lead on SS9, Fredriksberg 1, but on SS10, Rämmen 1, Latvala went through 5.1 seconds faster, after a mistake from Mikkelsen, and into a 1.6-second lead at service. A costly spin for Tänak on SS8 saw him fall behind both Østberg and Hirvonen to fifth, as 16.3 seconds covered the trio. Latvala bested Mikkelsen on each of the first three stages after service to build a 10.1-second cushion as rain started to fall, making the stages even more tricky. On SS15, Hagfors Sprint 2, that gap was halved, with a gripless Latvala suffering a loss of studs, and then the fastest time for Mikkelsen on the day-ending Karlstad Superspecial brought the gap down to a slender 3.6 seconds heading into Sunday. Østberg held third despite being stuck behind a recovering Robert Kubica on SS12, Lesjöfors 2, after the Pole had visited a snowbank. Two Fiestas completed the top five, with former Rally Sweden winner Hirvonen 6.0 seconds clear of Tänak - who briefly got ahead on SS12. Kris Meeke ended the day in sixth after Juho Hänninen took a wheel off of his new Hyundai i20 WRC in SS12.
Top 6 after Leg 2
1. Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila - Volkswagen Polo WRC 1:48:47.6
2. Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula - Volkswagen Polo WRC +3.6
3. Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson - Citroën DS3 WRC +43.0
4. Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen - Ford Fiesta WRC +1:02.7
5. Ott Tänak/Raigo Mõlder - Ford Fiesta WRC +1:08.7
6. Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle - Citroën DS3 WRC +2:31.2
Leg 3 - Mild temperatures and overnight rain meant a slippery concoction of mud and slush lay ahead of the crews and it was Latvala who mastered the conditions best, winning all four of the morning's stages to sit a handsome 42.7 seconds clear at service - helped by a spin for the chasing Mikkelsen on SS18, Torntorp 1, which effectively ended the fight for the win. Latvala added another 10.9 seconds to his lead over the shortened second loop, as SS21 Hara 2 succumbed to the mild weather, to run out victorious by 53.6 seconds from Mikkelsen. The Finn also bagged a couple of extra points for the second-fastest time on the Powerstage behind third-placed finisher Østberg. The Fiestas of Hirvonen and Tänak rounded out the top five, whilst a fighting drive from Ogier after his day 2 off saw him come home in sixth.
Top 10 Results
1. Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila - Volkswagen Polo WRC 3:00:31.1
2. Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula - Volkswagen Polo WRC +3:01:24.7 +53.6
3. Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson - Citroën DS3 WRC 3:01:30.6 +59.5 +5.9
4. Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen - Ford Fiesta WRC 3:02:58.0 +2:26.9 +1:27.4
5. Ott Tänak/Raigo Mõlder - Ford Fiesta WRC 3:03:31.6 +3:00.5 +1:29.4
6. Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia - Volkswagen Polo WRC 3:05:01.0 +4:29.9 +1:29.4
7. Henning Solberg/Ilka Minor - Ford Fiesta WRC 3:05:18.6 +4:47.5 +17.6
8. Pontus Tidemand/Ola Fløene - Ford Fiesta WRC 3:06:09.3 +5:38.2 +50.7
9. Craig Breen/Scott Martin - Ford Fiesta WRC 3:09:26.5 +8:55.4 +3:17.2
10. Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle - Citroën DS3 WRC 3:11:49.1 +11:18.0 +2:22.6
Jari-Matti Latvala quote - "It feels amazing to win this rally... two times, now this. It's a long time since Greece. I have been concentrating the whole week."
WRC2 - There was drama in the supporting WRC2 class when, on the final stage, Karl Kruuda overturned an 18.7-second deficit to steal the win from the gripless Jari Ketomaa by 2.3 seconds. The Estonian had trailed Ketomaa by 2 minutes 24.2 seconds on Friday night, having been hampered by a transmission problem which left him with two-wheel drive only and also suffering a spin. Leader at the start of the final day, Yazeed Al-Rajhi, lost the lead with a spin on SS22, Torntorp 2, but was still only 1.1 seconds down going into SS23, Vargåsen 2. Mounting a big effort to regain the lead, he then rolled just after Colin's Crest - consigning him to fourth place behind Fredrik Åhlin.
1. Karl Kruuda/Martin Järveoja - Ford Fiesta S2000 3:14:40.2
2. Jari Ketomaa/Kaj Lindström - Ford Fiesta R5 3:14:42.5 +2.3
3. Fredrik Åhlin/Morten Erik Abrahamsen - Ford Fiesta R5 3:16:08.3 +1:28.1
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Rally Sweden Historic
Petter and Pernilla Solberg returned to take their second Historic rally victory in the family Ford Escort Mk2. The pair were kept honest by the Volvo 242 of Arne Rådström, who finished a little over forty seconds behind. 1984 world champion Stig Blomqvist also turned back the clock by competing in an Audi Quattro A2 but his event would end early with retirement.
1. Petter Solberg/Pernilla Solberg - Ford Escort Mk2 RS1800 1:22:32.7
2. Arne Rådström/Thomas Nilsson - Volvo 242 1:23:14.6 +41.9
3. Mats Myrsel/Esko Junttila - Porsche 911 2.7 RS 1:26:26.9 +3:54.2
Petter and Pernilla Solberg returned to take their second Historic rally victory in the family Ford Escort Mk2. The pair were kept honest by the Volvo 242 of Arne Rådström, who finished a little over forty seconds behind. 1984 world champion Stig Blomqvist also turned back the clock by competing in an Audi Quattro A2 but his event would end early with retirement.
1. Petter Solberg/Pernilla Solberg - Ford Escort Mk2 RS1800 1:22:32.7
2. Arne Rådström/Thomas Nilsson - Volvo 242 1:23:14.6 +41.9
3. Mats Myrsel/Esko Junttila - Porsche 911 2.7 RS 1:26:26.9 +3:54.2
