Frenchman Sebastien Loeb has won the 2008 Rally Finland and with it the 42nd WRC victory of his career.
In an event which is historically dominated by local drivers, Loeb becomes only the fourth non Scandinavian to win the event since it was first run in 1951.
At the finish control a delighted Loeb and his co-driver Daniel Elena climbed onto the roof of their Citroen C4 WRC and waved a French national flag. "It’s fantastic, an incredible feeling, winning here in Finland means so much to me!" said Loeb. "I desperately wanted to win this rally. Getting a win here was more important to me than just getting points. It’s been a very hard battle with Mikko all weekend with no chance to relax. He did a great job - I’ve had to fight for every second."
A maximum 10 points moves Loeb closer his rival Hirvonen in the 2008 drivers’ championship although he remains in second place, one point adrift of the Finn.
Hirvonen brought his Ford Focus RS over the finish line in second place, just 9.9 sec slower than Loeb after 155 kilometres of high speed stages. "I wanted to win here, but it was still fantastic event," said Hirvonen. "I’m pleased with the speed we had but Seb was able to find few more seconds, and in the end that’s all he needed to win. The championship fight is not over, but of course all the rallies coming up are more important now. It’s not over yet!"
A delighted Chris Atkinson was third in his Subaru Impreza WRC2008
more information, interviews on www.wrc.com photo Willy Weyens
WRC Rallyes - SS24- Ruuhimaki stage & overall results top20
03.08.2008
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FINLAND Rally - SS24- Ruuhimaki - stage results top20
1 5 SOLBERG Subaru 03:12.9 +00.0
2 3 HIRVONEN Ford 03:13.1 +00.2
3 15 AAVA Citroën 03:13.2 +00.3
4 4 LATVALA Ford 03:13.5 +00.6
5 1 LOEB Citroën 03:15.9 +03.0
6 20 RANTANEN Ford 03:16.0 +03.1
7 16 WILSON Ford 03:16.4 +03.5
8 19 MIKKELSEN Ford 03:16.7 ... mehr |
WRC Rallyes SS23 - Hannula stage & overall results top20
03.08.2008
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FINLAND RALLY SS 23 - Hannula stage results top20
1 4 LATVALA Ford 05:43.8 +00.0
2 3 HIRVONEN Ford 05:48.7 +04.9
3 19 MIKKELSEN Ford 05:49.3 +05.5
4 16 WILSON Ford 05:52.1 +08.3
5 5 SOLBERG Subaru 05:52.9 +09.1
6 1 LOEB Citroën 05:55.1 +11.3
7 15 AAVA Citroën 05:56.0 +12.2
8 2 SORDO Citroën 05:56.3 +12. ... mehr |
WRC Rallyes - SS22- Lankamaa stage & overall results top20
03.08.2008
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FINLAND Rally SS 22 - Lankamaa -stage results top20
1 3 HIRVONEN Ford 11:11.0 +00.0
2 1 LOEB Citroën 11:11.0 +00.0
3 4 LATVALA Ford 11:11.9 +00.9
4 15 AAVA Citroën 11:20.7 +09.7
5 6 ATKINSON Subaru 11:20.8 +09.8
6 5 SOLBERG Subaru 11:21.6 +10.6
7 20 RANTANEN Ford 11:22.0 +11.0
8 8 SOLBERG Ford 11:27.0 + ... mehr |
WRC Rallyes - SS21 - Vaarinmaja stage & overall results top20
03.08.2008
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| FINLAND ... mehr |
Citroën - Le rallye en chiffres jour 2
03.08.2008
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Position de la C4 WRC et écart par rapport au meilleur temps, spéciale par spéciale.
Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena -Dani Sordo/Marc Martí
ES12 : Himos ... mehr |
Jour 2 : Citroën, Loeb et Elena proches de l'exploit
03.08.2008
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58e Rally Finland (31 juillet-3 août 2008)
Au terme de l'éprouvante deuxième étape du 58e 'Rally Finland', l'équipe Citroën Total a le sourire. En tête depuis jeudi soir, Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena ont renforcé leur p ... mehr |
KNAF Talent First Team Holland: pleased with 2nd day results and performance
02.08.2008
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NESTE OIL RALLY FINLAND – DAY 2 (SATURDAY)
• Hans Weijs jr.: steep learning curve after ‘off the road’ and damage to the car….
• Kevin Abbring: some promising stage tim ... mehr |
Jour 2 : Trois Citroën C2 Super 1600 dans le Top 5
02.08.2008
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58e Rally Finland (1-3 août 2008)
Après une première journée de découverte vendredi, les pilotes se sont élancés aujourd’hui dans l’étape la plus longue. Trois séries de trois spéciales étaient à parcourir avec non moins de 168,25km chronométrés au programme. Martin Prokop s’est livré à une bataille ac ... mehr |
Munchi's retirement
02.08.2008
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FIA World Rally Championship Neste Oil Rally Finland, 2 August
Munchi’s Ford World Rally Team crew Federico Villagra and co-driver Jorge Pérez Companc have retired from competition on Neste Oil Rally Finland today after leaving the road 200 metres from the end of stage 20.
In the incident their Munchi’s Ford Focus RS WRC07 caught fire but the pair were for ... mehr |
Solberg flies the Stobart flag in Finland
02.08.2008
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FIA World Rally Championship Neste Oil Rally Finland, 2 August
A tough second day on round nine of the FIA World Rally Championship sees Henning Solberg/Cato Menkerud lying in fifth position overall. The pai ... mehr |
WRC Rallyes - SS21 - Vaarinmaja stage & overall results top25
02.08.2008
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FINLAND RALLY - SS21 - Vaarinmaja stage results top25
1 1 LOEB Citroën 08:22.5 +00.0
2 3 HIRVONEN Ford 08:26.6 +04.1
3 4 LATVALA Ford 08:29.8 +07.3
4 6 ATKINSON Subaru 08:31.4 +08.9
5 15 AAVA Citroën 08:37.7 +15.2
6 8 SOLBERG Ford 08:38.5 +16.0
7 2 SORDO Citroën 08:38.5 +16.0
8 5 SOLBERG Subaru 0 ... mehr |
WRC Rallyes -SS 20 - Juupajoki stage & overall results top25
02.08.2008
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FINLAND RALLY SS20 - Juupajoki stage results top25
1 4 LATVALA Ford 10:57.4 +00.0
2 1 LOEB Citroën 11:04.2 +06.8
3 3 HIRVONEN Ford 11:06.8 +09.4
4 6 ATKINSON Subaru 11:07.0 +09.6
5 19 MIKKELSEN Ford 11:17.6 +20.2
6 2 SORDO Citroën 11:17.7 +20.3
7 5 SOLBERG Subaru 11:18.6 +21.2
8 15 AAVA Citroën 1 ... mehr |
WRC Rallyes - SS19 - Kakaristo 2 stage & overall results top25
02.08.2008
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FINLAND RALLY SS19- Kakaristo 2 stage results top25
1 3 HIRVONEN Ford 10:34.7 +00.0
2 4 LATVALA Ford 10:35.9 +01.2
3 1 LOEB Citroën 10:38.0 +03.3
4 5 SOLBERG Subaru 10:46.1 +11.4
5 6 ATKINSON Subaru 10:47.2 +12.5
6 2 SORDO Citroën 10:50.3 +15.6
7 8 SOLBERG Ford 10:51.8 +17.1
8 15 AAVA Citroën 10: ... mehr |
Top driver quotes after SS18
02.08.2008
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1. Sebastien Loeb: "At the moment it’s okay but on the last one (SS18) I pushed hard and hit a few stones in the road. They were right on the line, and you don’t see them until - bang - you’ve hit them.
The second pass is always a bit more difficult for cars and tyres - but the tyres look good, no problems. We have kept the lead since this morning but after seven ... mehr |
KNAF Talent First Team Holland: first day of positive learning for both drivers
02.08.2008
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NESTE OIL RALLY FINLAND – DAY 1
• Hans Weijs jr.: not yet fully pleased with 11th place in J-WRC and himself….
• Kevin Abbring: fantastic stag ... mehr |
Driver quotes from service G (after SS18)
02.08.2008
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Jumps and crests on the brand new stages are particularly challenging
Impreza WRC2008 No.5 Petter Solberg: "We had no major problems in the last stages, but we had a small stall with the clutch on stage 16 at the hairpin which lost us time. Sixth is ok, and we are doing the best we can.
It’s not an easy day today as the surface is very loose ... mehr |
WRC Rallyes SS18 - Surkee 2 stage & overall results top25
02.08.2008
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FINLAND RALLY SS18 - Surkee 2 stage results top25
1 1 LOEB Citroën 07:55.9 +00.0
2 3 HIRVONEN Ford 07:57.8 +01.9
3 6 ATKINSON Subaru 08:02.7 +06.8
4 4 LATVALA Ford 08:03.7 +07.8
5 8 SOLBERG Ford 08:04.5 +08.6
6 5 SOLBERG Subaru 08:07.4 +11.5
7 2 SORDO Citroën 08:07.8 +11.9
8 15 AAVA Citroën 08:08 ... mehr |
WRC Rallyes SS 17 - Kaipolanvuori stage & overall results top25
02.08.2008
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FINLAND RALLY SS17- Kaipolanvuori stage results top25
1 4 LATVALA Ford 07:06.6 +00.0
2 3 HIRVONEN Ford 07:06.9 +00.3
3 1 LOEB Citroën 07:08.3 +01.7
4 6 ATKINSON Subaru 07:11.1 +04.5
5 19 MIKKELSEN Ford 07:12.4 +05.8
6 2 SORDO Citroën 07:12.7 +06.1
7 15 AAVA Citroën 07:14.4 +07.8
8 5 SOLBERG Subaru 07:18 ... mehr |
WRC Rallyes SS16- Kakaristo 1 stage & overall results top25
02.08.2008
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FINLAND RALLY SS16 - Kakaristo 1 stage results top25
1 4 LATVALA Ford 10:43.2 +00.0
2 1 LOEB Citroën 10:48.3 +05.1
3 3 HIRVONEN Ford 10:51.5 +08.3
4 6 ATKINSON Subaru 11:02.1 +18.9
5 2 SORDO Citroën 11:04.9 +21.7
6 8 SOLBERG Ford 11:07.0 +23.8
7 15 AAVA Citroën 11:07.1 +23.9
8 19 MIKKELSEN Ford 1 ... mehr |
WRC Rallyes SS15 - Leustu stage & overall results top25
02.08.2008
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FINLAND RALLY SS15 Leustu stage results
1 3 HIRVONEN Ford 10:12.4 +00.0
2 1 LOEB Citroën 10:17.0 +04.6
3 4 LATVALA Ford 10:22.4 +10.0
4 2 SORDO Citroën 10:26.1 +13.7
5 5 SOLBERG Subaru 10:26.6 +14.2
6 6 ATKINSON Subaru 10:26.7 +14.3
7 7 GALLI Ford 10:28.3 +15.9
8 8 SOLBERG Ford 10:29.9 +17.5 ... mehr |
Subaru driver quotes from service F (after SS14)
02.08.2008
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SWRT hold sixth and seventh at day two mid-point
Impreza WRC2008 No.5 Petter Solberg: "The first two stages today we had quite a good feeling, but in the last stage [SS14] it went and I couldn’t push. It felt like I lost a lot of grip on the loose surface suddenly, so the engineers will look at it in service and make some changes before this afternoo ... mehr |
WRC Rallyes - SS14 - Surkee 1 stage & overall results top10
02.08.2008
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FINLAND RALLY SS14- Surkee 1 stage results top10
1 1 LOEB Citroën 08:03.4 +00.0
2 3 HIRVONEN Ford 08:04.0 +00.6
3 4 LATVALA Ford 08:08.8 +05.4
4 6 ATKINSON Subaru 08:11.9 +08.5
5 2 SORDO Citroën 08:14.5 +11.1
6 7 GALLI Ford 08:14.5 +11.1
7 15 AAVA Citroën 08:15.8 +12.4
8 8 SOLBERG Ford 08:19.4 +1 ... mehr |
WRC Rallyes SS13 - Hirvimaki stage & overall results top10
02.08.2008
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FINLAND RALLY SS13 - Hirvimaki stage results top10
1 1 LOEB Citroën 05:47.7 +00.0
2 3 HIRVONEN Ford 05:51.4 +03.7
3 4 LATVALA Ford 05:57.1 +09.4
4 2 SORDO Citroën 05:58.4 +10.7
5 6 ATKINSON Subaru 05:58.5 +10.8
6 5 SOLBERG Subaru 06:00.6 +12.9
7 7 GALLI Ford 06:01.4 +13.7
8 8 SOLBERG Ford 06:01.4 ... mehr |
WRC Rallyes SS12- Himos -stage & overall results top10
02.08.2008
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FINLAND RALLY SS12 - Himos stage results
1 3 HIRVONEN Ford 08:37.3 +00.0
2 1 LOEB Citroën 08:40.3 +03.0
3 6 ATKINSON Subaru 08:49.5 +12.2
4 7 GALLI Ford 08:50.5 +13.2
5 5 SOLBERG Subaru 08:51.8 +14.5
6 20 RANTANEN Ford 08:52.4 +15.1
7 2 SORDO Citroën 08:53.9 +16.6
8 19 MIKKELSEN Ford 08:54.9 +17. ... mehr |
KNAF Talent First Team Holland optimistic at start of Rally Finland….
01.08.2008
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NESTE OIL RALLY FINLAND – SUPER SPECIAL
• Hans Weijs jr.: make use of 2007 experience in a positive way….
• Kevin Abbring: 4th time in Super Special boosts confidenc ... mehr |
Stobart crews float into top-four in Finland
01.08.2008
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FIA World Rally Championship Neste Oil Rally Finland, 1 August Day 1
After the opening day of Neste Oil Rally Finland both nominated points scoring drivers for the Stobart VK M-Sport Ford rally team sit nice ... mehr |
Citroën - Le rallye en chiffres
01.08.2008
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Position de la C4 WRC et écart par rapport au meilleur temps, spéciale par spéciale.
Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena -Dani Sordo/ Marc Martí
ES1 : Superspéciale de ... mehr |
Jour 1 : Citroën Sport, la "classe" dès la rentrée
01.08.2008
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58e Rally Finland (31 juillet-3 août 2008)
Entamée à l'aube, cette longue et difficile première étape du 58e 'Rally Finland', s'est achevée en début de soirée. Marquant la reprise, la neuvième manche du WRC ... mehr |
The Red Bull Rallye Team at the "Neste Oil Rally Finland 2008"
01.08.2008
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- Andreas Aigner retired on SS7
- The Austrian ended up in a pond!
The "Neste Oil Rally Finland 2008" was a rather short event for the Red Bull Rallye Team: Andreas Aigner (AUT)/Klaus Wicha (GER) – Mitsubishi EVO IX ended up in a pond after an off-track excursion on SS7!
Driver and co-driver are unharmed, most of the car is submerged in water ... mehr |
