The BP-Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team got its stuttering FIA World Rally Championship season back on track today with Mikko Hirvonen and Francois Duval claiming second and third place finishes in Rally de France.
And the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority-backed outfit had further reason to smile with the UAE’s Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi coming home in 12th, his highest asphalt finish to date.
“Finishing twelfth is a great accomplishment for me,” said Al Qassimi. “There are at least 20 world class drivers here this weekend and I have battled my least favourite surface to finish just outside the top ten.
“Contesting two asphalt events in consecutive weekends have definitely helped my confidence on tarmac and I’ll be far better prepared for next season’s asphalt events with these lessons.
“I have a few weeks off before my final round and I’ll be watching closely to see what happens in Japan in the meantime,” added Al Qassimi.
Despite Loeb’s fourth consecutive Corsica victory – his tenth in a remarkable 2008 season - Hirvonen and Duval’s 14-point haul has edged BP-Ford Abu Dhabi closer to title rivals Citroen in their season-long manufacturers’ battle.
With only two, BP-Ford Abu Dhabi favoured, gravel-based WRC events remaining this year, the UAE sponsored team are still 23 points behind.
However, after final stage tactical manoeuvres saw Ford drivers Jari-Matti Latvala and Francois Duval surrender their positions so Hirvonen could take maximum points, Malcolm Wilson, Team Director, BP-Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team believes the points haul could still prove vital.
“We’ve got to try and win both championships. It’s a long shot and not an ideal situation but we’ve always got to try and get the best result for the team and the driver. We go to Japan with renewed confidence,” he said.
Loeb has now moved 14 points clear of Hirvonen in the race for the drivers’ title. And the Finn knows he needs to repeat his 2007 Rally Japan win – and hope Loeb finishes no higher than sixth - to have any chance of pushing the title race down to December’s season-ending Rally Great Britain.
“I can’t celebrate this result. I understand what the team is doing and I appreciate what Francois and Jari-Matti have done – now I want to repay them with a win in Japan,” said Hirvonen. “I have to win there if I am going to win the title.”
With Duval following team orders and deliberately checking-in early to the pre-stage 16 control, and collecting an automatic two-minute penalty, the Belgian asphalt specialist was none-the-less thrilled his double tarmac rally stint in the BP-Ford Abu Dhabi outfit had ended with a podium place.
“I’m very happy, that’s two rallies with no mistakes and no punctures. It’s been a long time since I’ve driven such a good car on tarmac and the podium is a great way to sign off with the team,” said the Belgian.
