Ford tightens its grip on leading places in dramatic day in Italy

BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team strengthened its one-two position at the head of the leaderboard in Rally d'Italia Sardegna today. Overnight leaders Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila retained top spot in their Ford Focus RS World Rally Car despite enduring the worst of the dusty and slippery road conditions.

The Finns are 9.9sec ahead of team-mates Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen and the Ford pair extended the advantage over their nearest challenger to more than a minute. The second leg of this sixth round of the FIA World Rally Championship was one of attrition. While the Focus RS WRCs ran free of problems, five leading drivers were sidelined as the rocky gravel roads and temperatures, which topped 30ºC, took a heavy toll on the entry list.After an early morning start from the rally base in Olbia, competitors tackled two identical loops of speed tests south-west of the town covering 130.74km.

The loops were split by a return to the service park in Olbia at lunchtime.Latvala faced the unenviable task of leading the 53 starters through the special stages, sweeping the roads clear of loose gravel to leave a cleaner and faster line for those behind. However, the 24-year-old delivered a superb performance over the three morning tests as he preserved much of his lead, his 39.8sec advantage only reduced to 27.0sec.

A trio of third fastest times this afternoon enabled him to stay ahead of a charging Hirvonen. "Today was almost perfect, apart from a small spin at a junction in an asphalt section of the penultimate stage," said Latvala. "I drove as well as I could in those conditions and expected to lose more time.

It was hard to judge the braking points this morning because as first car into the stages, there were no marks to help me. Running first was good for my experience and I needed to learn how to drive in those conditions."The gap to Mikko is very small and it will be hard for me to hold him off tomorrow as I will again open the stages.

I would have liked a lead of about 25sec tonight, or to be behind Mikko and force him to do the cleaning role that I had to do today. But if I can drive like I have today then a win isn't out of the question," he added.Hirvonen, second overnight, was equally impressive behind the wheel of his Focus RS WRC in both fighting off closest challenger Sébastien Loeb and closing in on Latvala.

He was fastest on the opening test of each loop and widened the gap to Loeb before the Frenchman lost a minute with a puncture on the penultimate stage. He then sliced almost 10sec off Latvala's lead in the final test to close on his fellow countryman. "I'm going for the win tomorrow," said 28-year-old Hirvonen, who has shaken off the effects of the fever which hampered him yesterday. "The situation looks good now. I took time from Jari-Matti today and he must clean the roads again tomorrow. It has been a great rally so far, but tomorrow won't be straight forward and it's easy to make a simple, but costly, mistake here. "My day was very constant and my only problems came in stage eight this morning when I twice had to slow to allow wild horses to cross the road.

On the first occasion there were about seven or eight and then I came upon two more, about 8km further on. It was like the Wild West!" he said. Abu Dhabi's Khalid Al Qassimi and Michael Orr enjoyed a good day to climb from 10th to seventh in their Focus RS. They enjoyed a close fight with Conrad Rautenbach this morning, swapping positions on every stage, before overcoming a lack of power steering this afternoon to move up the order. "The problem started on the liaison section after lunchtime service. I

contemplated retiring, but persevered and it was worth it – although my arms feel very tired now," said Al Qassimi. BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson praised the efforts of both Latvala and Hirvonen. "It has been the best performance of the year so far. Both have driven fantastically well, especially given the disadvantage of their start position, and stayed out of trouble on the rough stages.

It will be hard for Jari-Matti to stay ahead of Mikko as he must sweep the roads again, but the most important thing is to retain first and second," he said. News from other Ford teams Stobart drivers Matthew Wilson and Scott Martin had a troublefree day to climb from ninth to sixth in their Focus RS WRC. Team-mates Henning Solberg and Cato Menkerud climbed to fifth on the opening stage, but a right rear puncture in the morning's final stage cost more than a minute and three positions. The Norwegians were sidelined this afternoon with broken front right suspension in the penultimate test and will restart tomorrow in 10th.

Munchi's drivers Federico Villagra and Jorge Perez Companc restarted under SupeRally rules after retiring yesterday but retired again at the lunchtime service when Companc felt ill. They will not restart tomorrow. Tomorrow’s Route The final day is the shortest of the event. After leaving Olbia at 06.00, drivers face two loops of stages, split by a return to the town for service. Two stages south of the town feature in both laps, with a single run in the second loop through a test to the north, near the Costa Smeralda coastline.

The finish is in Porto Cervo at 14.15. Leaderboard after Day 2

1. J-M Latvala/M Anttila FIN Ford Focus RS 2hr 58min 03.5sec

2. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 2hr 58min 13.4sec

3. P Solberg/P Mills NOR Citroen Xsara 2hr 59min 16.1sec

4. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 2hr 59min 18.3sec

5. E Novikov/D Moscatt RUS Citroen C4 3hr 00min 49.5sec

6. M Wilson/S Martin GBR Ford Focus RS 3hr 03min 06.3sec

7. K Al Qassimi/M Orr UAE Ford Focus RS 3hr 05min 01.4sec

8. D Sordo/M Marti ESP Citroen C4 3hr 07min 22.3sec

9. M Østberg/V Engan NOR Subaru Impreza 3hr 10min 32.5sec

10 H Solberg/C Menkerud NOR Ford Focus RS 3hr 10min 33.6sec

#fiestamovement :New 2010 Ford Fiesta R2 Rally Car launched

An all-new Ford Fiesta R2 rally car, based on the top-selling Ford Fiesta road car launched last year, was unveiled at the Rally d'Italia Sardegna this evening.

Designed to replace the hugely successful Fiesta ST rally car, the new vehicle is targeted at competitors in the Fiesta SportTrophy series around the globe, as well as in regional rally championships.

The Fiesta R2 will conform to the latest FIA regulations and satisfy strong customer demand for an exciting yet affordable point of entry into rallying. While the car will not compete in Sardinia, it will be driven as a course safety car ahead of the main entry by FST International Shootout winner Matthias Boon (BEL) and co-driver Massimiliano Bosi (ITA).The development bodyshell for the R2 project was revealed by M-Sport at the Autosport International Show in the UK in

January 2009.

As one of Europe’s biggest motorsport shows, the project generated great interest and excitement from potential competitors and the public alike. Work on the base design of the car, the result of successful engineering co-operation between M-Sport and Ford, is now almost complete and engineers are undertaking a comprehensive test programme in readiness for a proposed homologation date of 1 July 2009. The five-speed Fiesta R2 rally car is based on the Ford Fiesta Sport (Zetec S in the UK and Ireland) using the 1.6L Ti-Vct 120PS (1598cc) base engine as in regular production. It is built from a standard conversion kit developed by M-Sport.

The kit to convert the car to rally specification includes engine parts to increase the engine performance including pistons, conrods, camshafts, valve springs, injectors, airbox, air filter, spark plugs and a sump baffle kit. The gearbox has been replaced for a sequential shift unit with a limited slip differential, along with upgraded brakes and Reiger suspension. Beyond these specific items, the intention is for the car to use many standard components from the Ford Fiesta and other Ford road vehicles to reduce costs for the competitor. Standard conversion kits will be available from M-Sport or an appointed national sales outlet.

The knowledge gained from the world-title winning Ford Focus RS WRC has been transferred to the creation of the Fiesta R2 under the leadership of M-Sport’s Principal Engineer Chris Williams, who was also responsible for the success of the Fiesta ST, which sold in 27 different countries. Last month M-Sport announced the development of a Super 2000 Fiesta for competition at the sport's highest level. These two vehicles, the Super 2000 and the R2, will create a complete ladder of opportunity for rally competitors to graduate from grass roots level to WRC using Ford vehicles.

M-Sport Managing Director Malcolm Wilson said:“The development of this car has created a lot of excitement over the past few months and I’m delighted that we have now been able to unveil the Fiesta here in Sardinia. There’s no doubting that the R2 has large boots to fill: the GpN Fiesta ST is still achieving frequent class wins around the world and has finished as high as 25th overall in the WRC, an amazing feat for a small car.

The experience and knowledge that our engineers have gained with the ST has been key in developing the R2 into a more ‘sophisticated’ car, whilst it has inherited the basic strength and reliability that made the ST so popular – and all at a lower cost than other competing manufacturers.”Ford of Europe Motorsport Director Mark Deans said:"The continued commitment of M-Sport to its Fiesta SportTrophy series is great news and we are eager to see the new Fiesta in rallying. The road car has deservedly received huge acclaim since its launch last autumn and will provide the perfect base vehicle. I'm confident the R2 will play a key role as the ideal entry-level car.

The development of this car is a product of enthusiastic collaboration between Ford and M-Sport and, allied with the recently-announced Super 2000 Fiesta, offers a complete ladder of opportunity to guide ambitious and talented drivers from the sport's base level through to the very top in Ford vehicles. While Ford of Europe's principle motorsport activity remains the FIA World Rally Championship, we will do everything we can at a local level to support the Fiesta SportTrophy in individual markets and we wish M-Sport every success with their new Fiesta projects."

Fiesta R2 SpecificationDonor vehicle: Ford Fiesta 1.6 Sport / Zetec S. Model dated from September 2008 for purchase from any source.

Promotional price available from M-Sport. Engine: 1.6 Zetec 16V – 1598cc – Ti-VCT; 4 cylinders in line; DOHC; 16 valves; alloy cylinder head and block; variable cam timing. Power: 163 PS @ 7,500 rpmTorque: 182 Nm @ 5,700 rpm

Transmission: Five speed sequential gearbox developed by Sadev with plated limited slip differential and uprated driveshafts.

ECU developed by Pi with flat shift feature with full throttle closed loop control shift.Suspension: Reiger adjustable dampers with Eibach springs, spherical jointed top mounts front and rear. Front dampers adjustable for bump and rebound.

Standard rear beam with uprated mounts. 2-bolt clamped front upright. Adaptor pin mounted in uprights with spherical bearing connecting the lower arm. Five stud hub.Brakes: Gravel (front): 285 mm AP ventilated discs with four piston competition calipers. Asphalt (front): 310 mm AP ventilated discs with four piston competition calipers.

Rear: 280 mm AP ventilated discs with single piston calipers.Hydraulic handbrake.Steering: Electric power-assisted steering.Wheels: Gravel: OZ 6”x15” GravelAsphalt: OZ 6.5”x16” AsphaltBodyshell: Welded T45 steel multipoint rollcage. Optimised seat position and integrated dash bar.

Jacking points optional and seam welding is permitted.Electronics: Bespoke instrument cluster by Visteon in the same style as the standard series cluster.Dimensions: Length: 3953mm. Width: 1722mm. Height: 1481mm. Wheelbase: 2490mm. Weight: 1030kg.

Stobart improve in heat-soaked Sardinia

Friday May 22nd 09: Stobart VK M-Sport Ford drivers Henning Solberg and Matthew Wilson overcame early problems to put themselves in a powerful position going into day two of Rally d’Italia Sardenga, the sixth round of the FIA World Rally Championship.

With tactical driving strongly in evidence on day one as crews jostled for the best position on Saturday’s rough, dusty stages, Solberg is lying in sixth place while Wilson ended the day in ninth. Following the ceremonial start which attracted huge numbers of fans to the town hall in Olbia on Thursday night the rally got underway 70kms to the south-west of Service Park this morning with two loops of three stages.

High temperatures meant that the roads were dusty while the hard, rocky base provided a big challenge for the 58 starters.Wilson and co-driver Scott Martin had the worst possible start to their rally as they were struck by hydraulic problems less than a kilometre into the opening stage. The hydraulic failure meant that Wilson was forced to use the manual gear shift and lost a lot of the Ford Focus RS WRC’s handling as the centre diff was affected. The young Briton did well to keep his composure and make it through to the end of the morning loop but was trailing the leaders by nearly two minutes in 13th place.

However, the Stobart VK M-Sport Ford team mechanics worked hard to fix the problem during the midday service and Wilson was able to push harder in the afternoon, picking up four places over the course of three stages to finish the day back inside the top ten and with good road position for day two.After posting an excellent time in shakedown on Thursday, Solberg failed to find his rhythm during the early stages today and fell down the field behind young chargers Evgeny Novikov, Sebastien Ogier and Mads Ostberg. The team made some small changes to the set-up of the car before the second loop to try and improve grip and handling, and these paid off in the afternoon as the Norwegian and co-driver Cato Menkerud moved up the leaderboard.

A loose catch meant that Solberg lost his bonnet during SS5 Loelle 2. But despite the handling issues that this caused he still managed to post the fourth fastest time on the final stage of the day SS6 Crastazza 2 leaving him in a tactically strong sixth position going into Saturday’s stages.With temperatures on the Mediterranean island soaring, the second pass of the stages was particularly hard on the tyres, but the Pirelli Scorpion rubber stood up well to the conditions.Day two will present an extra challenge for the drivers as they face two completely new stages. SS7 Sa Linea which follows a disused railway line is expected to be very rough and rocky. From there the crews move on to the 22.02km Fiorentini through the forests of central Sardinia before tackling Monte Lerno, the longest stage of the rally.

The Italian rally fans are expected to be out in force there to see one of the most famous jumps on the FIA World Rally Championship calendar. With weather conditions expected to remain dry and hot throughout the whole weekend, dust will continue to be a problem while drivers’ concentration will be tested to the maximum as they contest 130.74kms of special stage action.Other rally newsBP Ford Abu Dhabi drivers Jari-Matti Latvala and Mikko Hirvonen are leading the rally at the end of day one. Latvala holds a 39-second lead over his team mate who lies just ahead of Citroen’s Sebastien Loeb.

The Frenchman slowed on the final stage of the day in order to gain better road position on day two. Petter Solberg showed good pace throughout day one and is fourth in his updated Citroen Xsara just ahead of Russian youngster Evegeny Novikov who rounds of the top five.But it was a hard day for Loeb’s Citroen team mate Dani Sordo who picked up a time penalty after arriving late to SS1. Meanwhile Munchi’s Ford driver Federico Villagra is in danger of losing his 100 per cent points scoring record so far this season after suffering a mechanical failure on SS5.

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford driver Matthew Wilson said: “It has been a difficult first day of the rally for us. Obviously we had our problems this morning when we lost hydraulic pressure and the paddle gear shift. That put us on the back foot. But everything went fine this afternoon on the second pass, although it was difficult on the last stage as the rough conditions affected the tyre wear and the car was moving around a lot. We also struggled to make pace notes on that stage during the recce so they weren’t precise enough.

But we’re in a good road position for tomorrow. Those stages are also very difficult but we’ll just concentrate on having a good drive.”Stobart VK M-Sport Ford driver Henning Solberg said:“I am still trying to get the correct feeling with the car. There’s no major problem with it but I just don’t have full confidence at the moment.

The stages are very difficult, narrow but fast, and you have to be committed and have a good feeling with the car to push hard on them. We changed the springs during the day which helped and we will also make some minor changes in service tonight. Nothing major but hopefully it will help me to push harder tomorrow.”

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford team principal Malcolm Wilson said:“It has been a difficult day for both Stobart crews today, but both cars are now in an ideal position to do well tomorrow, especially Henning. We have seen today that road position is quite important so hopefully it’ll help both crews to be starting where they are tomorrow.

Matthew suffered some problems on the first three stages today but he put that behind him and had a strong finish to the day. Both crews are currently in the points and they’re in a prime position to build on a good start tomorrow.”

Leaderboard at end of day one1.

J-M Latvala/M Anttila (FIN) Ford Focus RS 1h24m14.5s2.

M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen(FIN) Ford Focus RS +39.8s3.

S Loeb/D Elena (FRA) Citroën C4 +42.8s 4.

P Solberg/P Mills (NOR) Citroën Xsara +46.4s5.

E Novikov/D Moscatt (RUS) Citroën C4 +1m04.7s6.

H Solberg/C Menkerud (NOR) Ford Focus RS +1m08.2s7.

Mads Ostberg/V Engen (NOR) Subaru Impreza +1m16.6s8.

D Sordo/M Marti (ESP) Citroën C4 +1m37.3s9.

M Wilson/S Martin (GB) Ford Focus RS +2m33.8s10.

K Al Qassimi/M Orr (UAE) Ford Focus RS +2.59.9s