SS9: Hirvonen narrows Loeb’s lead

Mikko Hirvonen has trimmed Sebastien Loeb’s overall advantage to 3.3s in the chase for Neste Oil Rally Finland glory by going 1.7s faster than the eight-time winner of the FIA World Rally Championship with the quickest run through the repeat of the Mokkipera test.

“It was important to take time out of him because on the next one he always takes time out of me in the narrow section,” said Hirvonen. “I’m getting more into it but I had to push hard but there were no problems.”

With a replacement rear differential fitted to his Citroen DS3 WRC in service in Jyvaskyla, Loeb said: “The car is good but the stage starts to be rough and there is a lot of big stones in the rough. It’s easy to have a puncture or to break something.”

Jari-Matti Latvala, in a Ford World Rally Team Fiesta RS WRC, was 3.5s slower than Loeb. He said: “I’m happy with the car, I have to say but the road was in a quite bad condition and in a couple of places I went wide. I could have driven better, I attacked too hard in some places.”

Petter Solberg said he made a mistake in a rough section in his Fiesta. Matti Rantanen admitted to making a few mistakes and remains behind Jari Ketomaa in the overall standings, 3.7s adrift of his fellow Finn and Fiesta driver. Ketomaa, meanwhile, reported an ECU change in service had transformed the speed of his Autotek entry, which had been dogged throughout the day by a persistent misfire.

Thierry Neuville has closed to within 4.8s of Mads Ostberg in the battle for fifth place despite a loud noise in his Citroen meaning he was unable to hear his pace notes nearing the stage finish.

Chris Atkinson has suffered more woe, completing the stage with significant damage to the front-right wheel and suspension of his Qatar World Rally Team Citroen. “There was a big rock in a rut in the middle of the road,” said the Australian, who fears he will be forced to retire from day two. “There’s not much we can do but normally the guys should be able to fix it in service.”

Finnish privateer Riku Tahko completed the stage with a damaged front-right wheel on his MINI John Cooper Works WRC after contact with a large rock.