Hirvonen wins Turkish Rally in Kemer
After a year of absence from the World Rally Championship calendar, the Rally of Turkey has reclaimed its place on the schedule and its usual headquarters in Kemer, a southern coastal resort. Reigning world champion Sebastien Loeb tried to go as quickly as possible through the stages, but running first on the road worked against him. Loeb's Citroën was fourth overall by the penultimate stage of leg one, but he still led after the opening day.
"The three Fords of Mikko Hirvonen, Jari-Matti Latvala and Gigi Galli that were in front of me slowed down just before the end of the final stage so that I would finish first," he said. "So on Saturday, I will have to run first on the road and sweep it clean for everyone else againDay two followed the same pattern.
Hirvonen was ideally placed by starting each stage from fifth on the road, and he took full advantage to claim the overall lead and stretch his advantage over Loeb. Ford team boss Malcolm Wilson said that deliberately dropping time was not a tactic he liked, but it was necessary because of the new rules.
Previously, the top 15 cars reversed their road positions on days two and three of an event, in order not to give the leader a disadvantageLatvala finished second for Ford and was only 7.9 seconds behind Hirvonen after his teammate suffered a puncture with less than two miles remaining in the event. Hirvonen drove slowly to make it to the end. Loeb came home third, 25 seconds behind the winner.
At the season's halfway point, Hirvonen leads in the drivers' championship again, even though he has won only three times to Loeb's five. Ford also leads Citroën in the constructors' championship. After a hectic spring, the WRC takes a break before the season resumes with the Rally Finland in early August. 17/06/08
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