Latvala opts for lowly start position on day one

Ford and Citroen have selected contrasting starting positions ahead of tomorrow’s opening day of Brother Rally New Zealand, round seven of the 2012 FIA World Rally Championship.

Jari-Matti Latvala was permitted to select his starting position first after going quickest on the Qualifying Stage this morning. In front of a large crowd of fans gathered in the Viaduct Events Centre in Auckland Harbour, the Finn opted to run 13th on the road to benefit from what he believes is a huge amount on gravel on the roads.

“We’re heading south tomorrow where there is more loose gravel on the roads than I have seen before. I’m aware that it’s a long day and the road will clean as the day goes on but we want to be further back to try to benefit from the road-cleaning as much as possible at the start of the day,” explained 27-year-old Latvala.

Finland’s Mikko Hirvonen was second to choose his position and has opted to run at the head of the field for the Citroen Total World Rally Team. Eight-time world champion Sebastien Loeb starts third in his Citroen DS3 WRC, one place behind Ford World Rally Team’s Petter Solberg. Rally New Zealand debutant Ott Tanak has chosen to run fourth.

MINI WRC Team’s Dani Sordo has opted to run fifth on the road, one place ahead of Jari Ketomaa who will run sixth at the wheel of a Ford Fiesta RS WRC.

The full start position selection is as follows:

1: Mikko Hirvonen (Citroen DS3 WRC)
2: Petter Solberg (Ford Fiesta RS WRC)
3: Sebastien Loeb (Citroen DS3 WRC)
4: Ott Tanak (Ford Fiesta RS WRC)
5: Dani Sordo (MINI John Cooper Works WRC)
6: Jari Ketomaa (Ford Fiesta RS WRC)
7: Evgeny Novikov (Ford Fiesta RS WRC)
8: Manfred Stohl (Ford Fiesta RS WRC)
9: Ken Block (Ford Fiesta RS WRC)
10: Armindo Araujo (MINI John Cooper Works WRC)
11: Paulo Nobre (MINI John Cooper Works WRC)
12: Thierry Neuville (Citroen DS3 WRC)
13: Jari-Matti Latvala (Ford Fiesta RS WRC)