Finns Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila, in a Ford Fiesta RS WRC, have won Wales Rally GB to end a victory drought that takes back to Rally Sweden in February.
Latvala’s success - his second in a row in Wales - ends Citroen ace Sebastien Loeb’s run of victories that dates back to Philips Rally Argentina at the end of April.
SS19: Hirvonen wins Power Stage, Latvala wins rally
Mikko Hirvonen has gone fastest on the event-closing Power Stage on Wales Rally GB as Sebastien Loeb beat Petter Solberg in a thrilling battle for second place on the FIA World Rally Championship qualifier.
Hirvonen beat Citroen team-mate Loeb by 0.2s through the stage to bag three bonus points with Jari-Matti Latvala claiming the final bonus point - and the event victory - in his factory Ford after going third fastest behind Loeb, whose margin over Solberg at the finish was a scant 0.9s.
“I was really struggling to find the pace, the speed, the rhythm and the confidence on this rally,” said Hirvonen. “Today was a little more encouraging. It’s not the result we came for but it’s nice to finish the rally like this. Perhaps it was raining more for the others.”
Chris Atkinson completed the stage with damage to the left-rear wheel of his MINI John Cooper Works WRC. The Australian was not aware how the problem had occurred.
Craig Breen secured an emotional victory in the Super 2000 World Rally Championship, three months since the death of his former co-driver Gareth Roberts.
As on the previous stage, a light drizzle was falling on sections of the run.
| Pos. | Driver | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | J. LATVALA | 3h03m40.3s |
| 2. | S. LOEB | +27.8 |
| 3. | P. SOLBERG | +28.7 |
| 4. | M. ØSTBERG | +1:10.6 |
| 5. | M. HIRVONEN | +1:29.5 |
| 6. | E. NOVIKOV | +3:37.0 |
| 7. | T. NEUVILLE | +4:11.9 |
| 8. | M. WILSON | +6:00.4 |
| 9. | M. PROKOP | +6:58.9 |
| 10. | N. AL-ATTIYAH | +9:32.1 |
| 11. | C. ATKINSON | +9:37.0 |
| 12. | S. OGIER | +9:44.0 |
| 13. | C. BREEN | +14:42.6 |
| 14. | T. CAVE | +17:20.4 |
| 15. | E. BRESOLIN | +18:17.0 |
| 16. | Y. AL RAJHI | +19:13.4 |
| 17. | M. OLEKSOWICZ | +22:58.5 |
| 18. | M. ARZENO | +25:41.4 |
| 19. | S. CHARDONNET | +28:54.7 |
| 20. | M. TAYLOR | +29:42.7 |