SS7: Hirvonen increases lead

Novikov retires

SS7: Hirvonen increases lead
Author: Franck Drui
9 September 2011 - 08:43

Mikko Hirvonen has claimed his first stage win on Rally Australia to move 9.5s clear of Ford team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala in the battle for victory on the World Rally Championship counter.

Hirvonen completed the 12.78-kilometre test 4.1s faster than Latvala with Petter Solberg third quickest in his privateer Citroen.

Evgeny Novikov stopped 1.5 kilometres into the stage after hitting a rock in his M-Sport Stobart Fiesta. His retirement promotes team-mates Henning Solberg and Matthew Wilson into fourth and fifth places respectively.

Team Abu Dhabi’s Khalid Al Qassimi is up to sixth in his Fiesta.

Standings after SS7:

Pos.DriverCarTime
01 M. HIRVONEN / J. LEHTINEN Ford Fiesta RS WRC 1h04m32.2s
02 J. LATVALA / M. ANTTILA Ford Fiesta RS WRC +9.5s
03 P. SOLBERG / C. PATTERSSON Citroën DS3 WRC +40.7s
04 H. SOLBERG / I. MINOR Ford Fiesta RS WRC +2m17.1s
05 M. WILSON / S. MARTIN Ford Fiesta RS WRC +2m42.8s
06 K. AL QASSIMI / M. ORR Ford Fiesta RS WRC +4m09.5s
07 H. PADDON / J. KENNARD Subaru Impreza WRX STi +4m34.5s
08 E. NOVIKOV / D. GIRAUDET Ford Fiesta RS WRC +5m44.1s
09 M. KOSCIUSZKO / M. SZCZEPANIAK Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X +5m49.9s
10 O. SALIUK / P. CHEREPIN Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +6m22.7s
11 B. GUERRA / B. ROZADA Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X +7m22.9s
12 B. REEVES / R. SMYTH Subaru Impreza WRX STi +7m33.8s
13 V. GORBAN / A. NIKOLAYEV Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +8m55.4s
14 S. OGIER / J. INGRASSIA Citroën DS3 WRC +9m40.7s
15 G. LINARI / N. ARENA Subaru Impreza WRX STi +11m20.0s
Loeb accepts blame for Australia roll SS8: Latvala closes gap to first place
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