WRC: Ford drivers in places two and three
ZF Sachs's partner Ford finished the Norway Rally in places two and three. In extreme winter weather conditions with ice and high mounds of snow alongside the track Mikko Hirvonen, whose Ford Focus RS WRC is fitted with a clutch from ZF Sachs Race Engineering, was able to put pressure on winner S将アbastien Loeb almost up to the end of the rally. Ultimately, Hirvonen, who set eight best times, had to admit defeat by just 9.8 seconds. Coming in third, the Finn Jari-Matti Latvala completed the good results of the Ford factory team.
As at the season opener in Ireland, the Norwegian Henning Solberg occupied fourth place and scored points for the private Stobart team in his Ford Focus RS WRC. In places seven and eight the Stobart drivers Matthew Wilson and Urmo Aava clinched points in the drivers' championship as well. Their cars are equipped with ZF Sachs clutches too.
Results, Rally of Norway (N), 2nd WRC round, 13 Feb -15 Feb 2009:
1. S. Loeb/D. Elena, Citro将ウn, 3h28m15.9s
2. M. Hirvonen/J. Lehtinen, Ford, + 9.8 s, ZF Sachs
3. J. Latvala/M. Anttila, Ford, + 1m21.8 s, ZF Sachs
4. H. Solberg/C. Menkerud, Ford, + 3m33.5s, ZF Sachs
5. D. Sordo/M. Marti, Citro将ウn, + 3m52.0s
6. P. Solberg/P. Mills, Citro将ウn, + 6m25.4s
7. M. Wilson/S. Martin, Ford, + 6m35.6 s, ZF Sachs
8. U. Aava/K. Sikk, Ford, + 6m49.1s, ZF Sachs
Drivers' championship:
1. S. Loeb, 20 points; 2. M. Hirvonen, 14; 3. D. Sordo, 12; 4. H. Solberg, 10; 5. J. Latvala, 6; 6. C. Atkinson and M. Wilson, 4 each; 8. P. Solberg and S. Ogier, 3 each; 10. K. Al Qassimi, 1.
Manufacturers' championship:
1. Citro将ウn, 32 points; 2. Ford, 22; 3. Stobart-Ford, 16; 4. Citro将ウn Junior Team, 8.