Swedish Rally 3rd - 5th February 2006
A HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR GRÖNHOLM
Leg 1 - Fresh from winning his first WRC rally on tarmac in Monte Carlo, new works Ford driver Marcus Grönholm would lead the field into the opening day and he would start the rally in the same vein by winning SS1, Fredriksberg 1. Reigning world champion Sébastien Loeb trailed the Focus by 2.8 seconds after SS1 but a headache was to follow in SS2, Lejen 1, when his bonnet flew open and smashed his windscreen after the bonnet pins weren't properly done up when they removed the extra spotlights before the stage. That setback was soon compounded when a ten-second road penalty for a late arrival at SS2 was announced, which led to a deficit of 19.0 seconds at first service but the Citroën still held onto second place. With a new bonnet and windscreen installed, Loeb was able to take 6.6 seconds from Grönholm through SS3, Fredriksberg 2, when the Finn overshot a junction. Three straight stage wins, in SS4, SS5 and SS6, helped the Frenchman further reduce the buffer to Grönholm down to 10.2 seconds overnight. A battle royal for the top six placings raged all day, Ford's Mikko Hirvonen established himself in third early on until a heavy landing from a spectacular leap over Colin's Crest during SS5, Vargåsen 1, removed the alternator and water pump drive belt, the engine overheated soon after and forced his retirement. That moved the Mitsubishi Lancer WRC of Gigi Galli into third overnight, helped by a fastest time in SS3, 2.5 seconds ahead of the sister Mitsubishi of Daniel Carlsson - the 8.4-second difference between them after SS5 would be the furthest apart the pair would get all rally. The duo worked their way ahead of the Red Bull Škoda of Mattias Ekström during the afternoon, the talented Swede having his second outing in a World Rally Car and sat 19.4 seconds down on Carlsson in fifth. The works Subarus endured a nightmare opening day, Australian Chris Atkinson had started the event well to sit in fifth after SS2 but faulty power steering and a trip into a snowbank saw him tumble down the order. His teammate, 2005 Swedish Rally winner Petter Solberg, fared little better - breaking a driveshaft with a heavy landing in SS1 and then stalling on the SS3 startline. The pair would end the day in 21st and 26th positions overnight, with the Norwegian ahead.
Top 6 after Leg 1
1. Marcus Grönholm/Timo Rautianen - Ford Focus WRC 1:12:29.8
2. Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena - Citroën Xsara WRC +10.2
3. Gigi Galli/Giovanni Bernacchini - Mitsubishi Lancer WRC +57.5
4. Daniel Carlsson/Bosse Holmstrand - Mitsubishi Lancer WRC +1:03.0
5. Mattias Ekström/Stefan Bergman - Škoda Fabia WRC +1:22.4
6. Manfred Stohl/Ilka Minor - Peugeot 307 WRC +1:28.7
Leg 2 - A fresh fall of snow overnight left Loeb rueing his choice of ice tyres for the first pair of stages on Saturday morning, losing a total of 7.7 seconds across the pair to leader Grönholm - who had taken the correct snow tyre. Now on the same tyres, Loeb ceded another 3.4 seconds to the flying Ford in SS9, Likenäs, "Marcus is too fast," remarked the Frenchman when asked if there's anything he can do to beat the Finn. The close fight for third between the Mitsubishis of Galli and Carlsson showed no signs of abating all day. Carlsson relieved the Italian of third after SS7, with the pair split by 0.7 seconds, but Galli hit straight back in SS8, Sundsjön 1, to take back the position by 0.4 seconds at first service. The pendulum continued to swing in the next loop, Galli added 5.8 seconds to his margin in SS9 but Carlsson was faster through the next two stages and went back up to third by 2.4 seconds after SS11. Galli was able to prize a little time from the Swede in the last pair of stages to head into Sunday trailing by a scant 0.3 seconds. The scrap in the lower reaches of the top ten was no less fierce - after SS9 just 19.6 seconds covered fifth to eighth place. SS10, Hara 2, saw OMV Peugeot stablemates Henning Solberg, in fifth, and Manfred Stohl, in seventh, both roll on the same corner. Stohl was out on the spot with deranged suspension but Solberg was able to continue in his battered 307 WRC, after kicking out the shattered windscreen. Some entertaining in-car footage followed as the crew received a face full of snow through the missing glass, the Norwegian and co-driver Cato Menkerud able to see the funny side at stage end. The demise of the two Peugeots meant that Ekström headed the private Citroën of Janne Tuohino in fifth and sixth overnight, split by just 0.1 seconds. Petter Solberg's luckless event continued with gearbox problems during the afternoon loop and then a spin on the first corner of SS13, Hagfors Sprint 2, saw him end the day in fifteenth, 11 minutes 10.8 seconds down on the overnight leader Grönholm. The Finn had won five of the day's seven stages to stamp home his 25.1-second advantage to Loeb.
Top 6 after Leg 2
1. Marcus Grönholm/Timo Rautianen - Ford Focus WRC 2:21:51.9
2. Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena - Citroën Xsara WRC +25.1
3. Daniel Carlsson/Bosse Holmstrand - Mitsubishi Lancer WRC +2:32.7
4. Gigi Galli/Giovanni Bernacchini - Mitsubishi Lancer WRC +2:33.0
5. Mattias Ekström/Stefan Bergman - Škoda Fabia WRC +3:28.1
6. Janne Tuohino/Risto Pietiläinen - Citroën Xsara WRC +3:28.2
Leg 3 - Sunday marked rally leader Grönholm's 38th birthday but his closest pursuer, Loeb, wasn't prepared to give him any presents just yet. The Frenchman nibbled 0.2 and 1.5 seconds out of his deficit in SS14, Lesjöfors 1, and SS15, Rämmen 1, before a hydraulic leak robbed Grönholm of his paddleshift in SS16, Malta 1, so haemorrhaged 9.0 seconds to the Citroën - the gap being reduced to 14.4 seconds with just three stages to go. The squabble for fifth only lasted a couple of kilometres into SS14 when Ekström exited the event. The Red Bull Škoda had bottomed out approaching a tricky crest, which threw the car off line and the Swede leapt straight into a snowbank to spell retirement on the spot. That gifted Tuohino the place until the final stage when, heartbreakingly, his engine blew and handed fifth to the veteran Swede Thomas Rådström. Ahead of that drama, the hammer and tongs scrap for third continued to twist and turn - Carlsson bested Galli on the day's opener by 0.5 seconds to increase his slender advantage to 0.8 seconds but Galli turned the tables in SS15, going 2.5 seconds quicker to grab third by 1.7 seconds. One stage later and the pair swapped places again after Carlsson nicked 2.4 seconds from Galli to sit 0.7 seconds ahead. Incredibly, the two Mitsubishis would continue to switch places on the next two stages also, with Carlsson marginally ahead by 0.2 seconds with just SS19, Malta 2, to run. Frustratingly for Galli, the Italian would lose third gear mid-stage so his Swedish stablemate claimed the spot by 7.0 seconds. "Fantastic! I've never been so nervous from the finish to this point here in my whole life, I think. I'm very very relieved, I can hardly believe it!" exclaimed Carlsson, who only finalised his drive aboard the Mitsubishi during the week before the rally. Sportingly, Galli greeted his rival at the stage finish to congratulate him after their superb tussle. After his morning troubles, Grönholm recovered in the afternoon by winning each of the last three stages to see off the challenge from Loeb by 30.9 seconds at the finish. The win would mark Grönholm's 20th and Ford's 50th victory in the WRC.
Top 10 Results
1. Marcus Grönholm/Timo Rautianen - Ford Focus WRC 3:09:01.9
2. Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena - Citroën Xsara WRC 3:09:32.8 +30.9
3. Daniel Carlsson/Bosse Holmstrand - Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 3:11:58.7 +2:56.8 +2:25.9
4. Gigi Galli/Giovanni Bernacchini - Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 3:12:05.7 +3:03.8 +7.0
5. Thomas Rådström/Jörgen Skallman - Subaru Impreza WRC 3:14:55.2 +5:53.3 +2:49.5
6. Kosti Katajamäki/Timo Alanne - Ford Focus WRC 3:16:36.7 +7:34.8 +1:41.5
7. Xevi Pons/Carlos del Barrio - Citroën Xsara WRC 3:17:37.5 +8:35.6 +1:00.8
8. Henning Solberg/Cato Menkerud - Peugeot 307 WRC 3:18:03.4 +9:01.5 +25.9
9. Jimmy Joge/Mattias Andersson - Peugeot 206 WRC 3:18:19.1 +9:17.2 +15.7
10. Janne Tuohino/Risto Pietiläinen - Citroën Xsara WRC 3:18:44.9 +9:43.0 +25.8
Grönholm quote - "I was a little bit worried when we were first time here in the morning with the oil leak but now they fix the car in the service and the car was perfect, a really good day!"
Leg 1 - Fresh from winning his first WRC rally on tarmac in Monte Carlo, new works Ford driver Marcus Grönholm would lead the field into the opening day and he would start the rally in the same vein by winning SS1, Fredriksberg 1. Reigning world champion Sébastien Loeb trailed the Focus by 2.8 seconds after SS1 but a headache was to follow in SS2, Lejen 1, when his bonnet flew open and smashed his windscreen after the bonnet pins weren't properly done up when they removed the extra spotlights before the stage. That setback was soon compounded when a ten-second road penalty for a late arrival at SS2 was announced, which led to a deficit of 19.0 seconds at first service but the Citroën still held onto second place. With a new bonnet and windscreen installed, Loeb was able to take 6.6 seconds from Grönholm through SS3, Fredriksberg 2, when the Finn overshot a junction. Three straight stage wins, in SS4, SS5 and SS6, helped the Frenchman further reduce the buffer to Grönholm down to 10.2 seconds overnight. A battle royal for the top six placings raged all day, Ford's Mikko Hirvonen established himself in third early on until a heavy landing from a spectacular leap over Colin's Crest during SS5, Vargåsen 1, removed the alternator and water pump drive belt, the engine overheated soon after and forced his retirement. That moved the Mitsubishi Lancer WRC of Gigi Galli into third overnight, helped by a fastest time in SS3, 2.5 seconds ahead of the sister Mitsubishi of Daniel Carlsson - the 8.4-second difference between them after SS5 would be the furthest apart the pair would get all rally. The duo worked their way ahead of the Red Bull Škoda of Mattias Ekström during the afternoon, the talented Swede having his second outing in a World Rally Car and sat 19.4 seconds down on Carlsson in fifth. The works Subarus endured a nightmare opening day, Australian Chris Atkinson had started the event well to sit in fifth after SS2 but faulty power steering and a trip into a snowbank saw him tumble down the order. His teammate, 2005 Swedish Rally winner Petter Solberg, fared little better - breaking a driveshaft with a heavy landing in SS1 and then stalling on the SS3 startline. The pair would end the day in 21st and 26th positions overnight, with the Norwegian ahead.
Top 6 after Leg 1
1. Marcus Grönholm/Timo Rautianen - Ford Focus WRC 1:12:29.8
2. Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena - Citroën Xsara WRC +10.2
3. Gigi Galli/Giovanni Bernacchini - Mitsubishi Lancer WRC +57.5
4. Daniel Carlsson/Bosse Holmstrand - Mitsubishi Lancer WRC +1:03.0
5. Mattias Ekström/Stefan Bergman - Škoda Fabia WRC +1:22.4
6. Manfred Stohl/Ilka Minor - Peugeot 307 WRC +1:28.7
Leg 2 - A fresh fall of snow overnight left Loeb rueing his choice of ice tyres for the first pair of stages on Saturday morning, losing a total of 7.7 seconds across the pair to leader Grönholm - who had taken the correct snow tyre. Now on the same tyres, Loeb ceded another 3.4 seconds to the flying Ford in SS9, Likenäs, "Marcus is too fast," remarked the Frenchman when asked if there's anything he can do to beat the Finn. The close fight for third between the Mitsubishis of Galli and Carlsson showed no signs of abating all day. Carlsson relieved the Italian of third after SS7, with the pair split by 0.7 seconds, but Galli hit straight back in SS8, Sundsjön 1, to take back the position by 0.4 seconds at first service. The pendulum continued to swing in the next loop, Galli added 5.8 seconds to his margin in SS9 but Carlsson was faster through the next two stages and went back up to third by 2.4 seconds after SS11. Galli was able to prize a little time from the Swede in the last pair of stages to head into Sunday trailing by a scant 0.3 seconds. The scrap in the lower reaches of the top ten was no less fierce - after SS9 just 19.6 seconds covered fifth to eighth place. SS10, Hara 2, saw OMV Peugeot stablemates Henning Solberg, in fifth, and Manfred Stohl, in seventh, both roll on the same corner. Stohl was out on the spot with deranged suspension but Solberg was able to continue in his battered 307 WRC, after kicking out the shattered windscreen. Some entertaining in-car footage followed as the crew received a face full of snow through the missing glass, the Norwegian and co-driver Cato Menkerud able to see the funny side at stage end. The demise of the two Peugeots meant that Ekström headed the private Citroën of Janne Tuohino in fifth and sixth overnight, split by just 0.1 seconds. Petter Solberg's luckless event continued with gearbox problems during the afternoon loop and then a spin on the first corner of SS13, Hagfors Sprint 2, saw him end the day in fifteenth, 11 minutes 10.8 seconds down on the overnight leader Grönholm. The Finn had won five of the day's seven stages to stamp home his 25.1-second advantage to Loeb.
Top 6 after Leg 2
1. Marcus Grönholm/Timo Rautianen - Ford Focus WRC 2:21:51.9
2. Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena - Citroën Xsara WRC +25.1
3. Daniel Carlsson/Bosse Holmstrand - Mitsubishi Lancer WRC +2:32.7
4. Gigi Galli/Giovanni Bernacchini - Mitsubishi Lancer WRC +2:33.0
5. Mattias Ekström/Stefan Bergman - Škoda Fabia WRC +3:28.1
6. Janne Tuohino/Risto Pietiläinen - Citroën Xsara WRC +3:28.2
Leg 3 - Sunday marked rally leader Grönholm's 38th birthday but his closest pursuer, Loeb, wasn't prepared to give him any presents just yet. The Frenchman nibbled 0.2 and 1.5 seconds out of his deficit in SS14, Lesjöfors 1, and SS15, Rämmen 1, before a hydraulic leak robbed Grönholm of his paddleshift in SS16, Malta 1, so haemorrhaged 9.0 seconds to the Citroën - the gap being reduced to 14.4 seconds with just three stages to go. The squabble for fifth only lasted a couple of kilometres into SS14 when Ekström exited the event. The Red Bull Škoda had bottomed out approaching a tricky crest, which threw the car off line and the Swede leapt straight into a snowbank to spell retirement on the spot. That gifted Tuohino the place until the final stage when, heartbreakingly, his engine blew and handed fifth to the veteran Swede Thomas Rådström. Ahead of that drama, the hammer and tongs scrap for third continued to twist and turn - Carlsson bested Galli on the day's opener by 0.5 seconds to increase his slender advantage to 0.8 seconds but Galli turned the tables in SS15, going 2.5 seconds quicker to grab third by 1.7 seconds. One stage later and the pair swapped places again after Carlsson nicked 2.4 seconds from Galli to sit 0.7 seconds ahead. Incredibly, the two Mitsubishis would continue to switch places on the next two stages also, with Carlsson marginally ahead by 0.2 seconds with just SS19, Malta 2, to run. Frustratingly for Galli, the Italian would lose third gear mid-stage so his Swedish stablemate claimed the spot by 7.0 seconds. "Fantastic! I've never been so nervous from the finish to this point here in my whole life, I think. I'm very very relieved, I can hardly believe it!" exclaimed Carlsson, who only finalised his drive aboard the Mitsubishi during the week before the rally. Sportingly, Galli greeted his rival at the stage finish to congratulate him after their superb tussle. After his morning troubles, Grönholm recovered in the afternoon by winning each of the last three stages to see off the challenge from Loeb by 30.9 seconds at the finish. The win would mark Grönholm's 20th and Ford's 50th victory in the WRC.
Top 10 Results
1. Marcus Grönholm/Timo Rautianen - Ford Focus WRC 3:09:01.9
2. Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena - Citroën Xsara WRC 3:09:32.8 +30.9
3. Daniel Carlsson/Bosse Holmstrand - Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 3:11:58.7 +2:56.8 +2:25.9
4. Gigi Galli/Giovanni Bernacchini - Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 3:12:05.7 +3:03.8 +7.0
5. Thomas Rådström/Jörgen Skallman - Subaru Impreza WRC 3:14:55.2 +5:53.3 +2:49.5
6. Kosti Katajamäki/Timo Alanne - Ford Focus WRC 3:16:36.7 +7:34.8 +1:41.5
7. Xevi Pons/Carlos del Barrio - Citroën Xsara WRC 3:17:37.5 +8:35.6 +1:00.8
8. Henning Solberg/Cato Menkerud - Peugeot 307 WRC 3:18:03.4 +9:01.5 +25.9
9. Jimmy Joge/Mattias Andersson - Peugeot 206 WRC 3:18:19.1 +9:17.2 +15.7
10. Janne Tuohino/Risto Pietiläinen - Citroën Xsara WRC 3:18:44.9 +9:43.0 +25.8
Grönholm quote - "I was a little bit worried when we were first time here in the morning with the oil leak but now they fix the car in the service and the car was perfect, a really good day!"
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JWRC - The JWRC opened its season in Sweden for the first time in 2006, with local star Per-Gunnar Andersson starting the event as the hot favourite. The 2004 JWRC champion lived up to the hype by taking a clear 53.1-second victory aboard his Suzuki. In the process, he would win eleven of the nineteen stages and would also take the first JWRC win for the Swift S1600. Runner-up was the Renault Clio S1600 of another Swede, Patrik Sandell - who had briefly led after SS3, Fredriksberg 2, and would later go on to win the 2006 JWRC title. Estonian Urmo Aava completed the podium in another Swift S1600 from the sister car of Czech Pavel Valoušek in fourth. Behind the top four Super 1600s came one of the star performers of the event - the young Finn Kalle Pinomäki, who hurled his N3-spec Renault Clio to fifth.
1. Per-Gunnar Andersson/Jonas Andersson - Suzuki Swift S1600 3:29:18.7
2. Patrik Sandell/Emil Axelsson - Renault Clio S1600 3:30:11.8 +53.1
3. Urmo Aava/Kuldar Sikk - Suzuki Swift S1600 3:32:13.8 +2:55.1
1. Per-Gunnar Andersson/Jonas Andersson - Suzuki Swift S1600 3:29:18.7
2. Patrik Sandell/Emil Axelsson - Renault Clio S1600 3:30:11.8 +53.1
3. Urmo Aava/Kuldar Sikk - Suzuki Swift S1600 3:32:13.8 +2:55.1
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