- Emirate’s Junior Drivers’ Podium Places Sweeten Success
Poland, 28 June 2009: BP Ford Abu Dhabi’s World Rally Championship (WRC) driver Mikko Hirvonen emerged victorious in this weekend’s Polish rally with the emirate’s junior drivers sweetening the success claiming second and third in the Fiesta Sporting Trophy (FSTi).
And Abu Dhabi’s Polish assault narrowly missed becoming a successful as Hirvonen’s team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala crashed out on Sunday afternoon’s final 2.5km Super Special Stage after looking certain to take second place.
The sensational turn of events kept the 10,000 strong Polish crowds on the edge of their seats as Latvala tried desperately to complete the stage and remain within the places; however after heroic attempts to push his car around the track, Latvala was forced to retire.
Hirvonen’s outstanding victory sees the Finnish ace move one point ahead of Citroen’s Sebastian Loeb in the WRC Drivers’ Championship; something not thought possible only two rallies ago. The battle for the title will continue in Finland, where BP Ford Abu Dhabi drivers will be looking to home support to keep the pressure on.
Abu Dhabi’s Junior Drivers in the FSTi pulled off a triumph of teamwork over experience when they shook off their lack of wet condition driving prowess to battle successfully through the stages. Well-paced and persistent performances from Bader Al Jabri and Majed Al Shamsi saw the Emirati pair record a stunning double podium finish taking second and third respectively. Team-mate Ahmed Al Mansoori meanwhile recovered well from his day one crash to finish fifth.
“We are absolutely thrilled with our results and are very much looking forward to the next rally in Finland where we hope to build on this success. Hopefully our Polish campaign has given us the experience to achieve a podium finish again in a month’s time,” said Al Jabri.
The WRC next moves to Rally Finland where the Abu Dhabi name is expected to resound among the expected 500,000 spectators as Finnish favourites Hirvonen and Latvala garner homeland support to cheer them on the Rally Finland’s ‘Gravel Grand Prix.’ They’ll be joined in the assault by BP Ford Abu Dhabi team-made Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi and backed up by the Abu Dhabi Juniors will be in FSTi action.
“Poland has proved something of a seminal trial for Abu Dhabi with Mikko’s victory and the junior drivers achieving rights of passage from the WRC’s second-oldest rally. Confidence will now abound for the high speed tracks and spectacular jumps of the 1000 Lakes Rally in Jyvaskyla where the emirate’s name is spreading among the expansive fan base of Rally Finland, the largest Nordic public event. This gives us a real opportunity to capitalise on awareness for Abu Dhabi and I congratulate all involved,” said Ahmed Hussein, Deputy Director General, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) which is behind the BP Ford Abu Dhabi and Junior Driver Development Programme.
The ADTA is a title sponsor of the BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team, Official Destination partner of the World Rally Championship, and creator of the Abu Dhabi Junior Driver Development Programme.
