Result - Rallye Monte Carlo.

[kam_baker]

Sebastien Loeb wins the Rallye Monte Carlo – over 2.5 minutes up on Mikko Hirvonen; Chris Atkinson hangs on to take the final spot on the podium; Francois Duval and Petter Solberg complete the top five...

Overall times after SS19 / Day 4 - Top 20:

1. Sebastien Loeb Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC 3hours 39mins 17.0secs M
2. Mikko Hirvonen BP Ford Focus RS WRC 07 +02mins 34.4secs M
3. Chris Atkinson Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2007 +02mins 58.6secs M
4. Francois Duval Stobart Ford Focus WRC 07 +02mins 59.7secs M
5. Petter Solberg Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2007 +04mins 40.9secs M
6. Gigi Galli Stobart Ford Focus WRC 07 +08mins 46.5secs M
7. Jean-Marie Cuoq Peugeot 307 WRC +10mins 24.8secs A8
8. P-G Andersson Suzuki WRT SX4 WRC +11mins 19.5secs M
9. Henning Solberg Stobart Ford Focus WRC 07 +12mins 43.6secs A8
10. Matthew Wilson Stobart Ford Focus WRC 07 +14mins 00.1secs A8
11. Daniel Sordo Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC +20mins 40.5secs M
12. Jari-Matti Latvala BP Ford Focus RS WRC 07 +24mins 16.1secs M
13. Ales Broccoli Renault Clio +28mins 15.7secs A7
14. Patrick Artru Mitsubishi Lancer +31mins 20.2secs N4
15. Eddie Mercier Renault Clio +31mins 30.7secs A7
16. Khalid Al-Qassimi BP Ford Focus RS WRC 07 +32mins 19.2secs A8
17. Ludovic Cluzel Mitsubishi Lancer +32mins 57.8secs N4
18. Olivier Burri Subaru Impreza +33mins 08.4secs N4
19. Luca Betti Honda Civic Type-R +33mins 32.4secs A7
20. Henri-MarcVenturini Renault Clio +34mins 07.9secs A7

Notable retirements:

SS1. Conrad Rautenbach Citroen Xsara WRC Went off the road A8*
SS6. Khalid Al-Qassimi BP Ford Focus RS WRC 07 Went off the road. A8*
SS11. Daniel Sordo Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC Engine. M*
SS12. Jari-Matti Latvala BP Ford Focus RS WRC 07 Suspension. M*
SS14/SS15. Toni Gardemeister Suzuki WRT SX4 WRC Overheating/engine. M
SS19. Conrad Rautenbach Citroen Xsara WRC Crashed. A8

Sebastien Loeb [Citroen Total WRT]:

"More than the fact that this was our 37th WRC victory and our fifth Monte win, I think the most significant thing is the way we won this year. Our C4 performed faultlessly throughout and the set-up we chose for the start proved excellent, which shows how well we worked upstream. The C4 and the Pirelli tyres also functioned well together on these asphalt stages which were often damp. It's always nice to start the season with a win, but I have no intention of getting carried away because there are some very difficult rallies to come."

Mikko Hirvonen [BP Ford Abu Dhabi WRT]:

"Second is a great result for me and a perfect start to the season. I've never had a good rally here so to take a podium is fantastic and it almost feels as good as a win. I started the season how I wanted to with a good result. I didn't know what to expect from this rally but my plan for the year is to finish second if I can't win a rally. When I moved into second I eased off because I was under no pressure from behind. I was uncertain how the news tyres from Pirelli would work. They were good but it's up to me to be careful on the recce when making the pace notes."

Chris Atkinson [Subaru WRT]:

"To finish third is fantastic for me and the team. The pressure today was huge, we just had to drive flat out and do everything we could to stay ahead. Duval is such a fast guy, and I always knew today would be really tough going up against him. I lost a few seconds in SS18 with a half spin, and after that I was just going for it. The same thing happened last year when I was fighting for position going into the final stage, but this year is so much more important as I was fighting for a podium. I'm so happy for the team – all the guys have done such a great job and we deserved this. It's a fantastic start to the year and we'll celebrate tonight for sure!"

Francois Duval [Stobart VK M-Sport Ford WRT]:

"It's great for me to finish in fourth position here. It has been difficult with new tyres, a new car, new co-driver and new stages on the rally but we have done a good job here and collected important points. It took some time to adjust and get confidence with everything but as you can see we were able to set some fastest times today. Hopefully there will be more events to come for me this year."

Petter Solberg [Subaru WRT]:

"Today has been good for us and the team for sure. Fifth is good, and it's my highest finish on this rally. We have some good points which are important to us and we have a lot of fastest splits today, which is very good. This weekend was difficult with all the ice and the slippery surface, but it's a good rally. There are a lot of fans, especially in Monaco for the Superspecial, and it's a great atmosphere. I'm happy for Chris in third, and that as well is of course good for the team. We've made a good start to the season and we must keep pushing for more good results."

Gigi Galli [Stobart VK M-Sport Ford WRT]:

"What a great start to the season for me. Now that I have a full year secured I am able to take time to adjust to the car and the most important thing for me in this rally was to get to the finish and learn as much as I can. To finish with drivers points and score points for the Stobart team makes it even more special. The Focus is really a wonderful rally car, I love driving it, and we got to grips with it sooner than I thought. For me the most important thing is to get to the end of this event. Last year I had to prove myself in three events but now I have the whole year to learn about the car and can push harder later in the year."

Per-Gunnar Andersson [Suzuki WRT)

"There's a lot to learn, but I've really enjoyed it and I couldn't have asked for more. To score points on my debut with a brand-new car is a truly fantastic result. My four-wheel drive experience before this event was limited to just a few rallies in a Group N car and some tests, so for me this rally has been all about learning to use the speed and traction of a World Rally Car. There's a lot more to come from both me and the car though. It was very important for me to get a good result here as it means I can head into the next round * my home rally in Sweden * with a very positive frame of mind."

Henning Solberg [Stobart VK M-Sport Ford WRT]:

"This rally was always going to be difficult for me as I'm not an expert on this surface. I think we have done a good job here though and I achieved my goal of finishing without any major problems; this was the most important thing for me to gain more experience. The start of the rally was difficult as we had to adjust to the new tyres and also the night time stages, but once we got more confidence then it felt good. The car has worked well during the four days and now we have gathered more information and experience for the rest of the asphalt rallies this year."

Matthew Wilson [Stobart VK M-Sport Ford WRT]:

"We haven't had a fantastic weekend here but we have finished the event with no problems and inside the top-ten; this is a good start to the year for me and I'm really looking forward to Sweden and Mexico now. It took some time to get a good feeling with the car and tyres and also I had a new co-driver. Scott [Martin] has done a great job here and I think we are going to have a good season together."

Daniel Sordo [Citroen Total WRT]:

"We were the only ones who succeeded in staying with Sébastien's pace. Once again, our car was awesomely quick on asphalt and I was also pleased with the way our tyres performed. That was one of the unknown factors before the start. Last but not least, I'm glad to have picked up a Manufacturers' point for Citroën."

Jari-Matti Latvala [BP Ford Abu Dhabi WRT]:

"I made two mistakes and it was a long and difficult weekend, but I found good speed today and I was happy with my times. It's unfortunate they came three days too late. I've learned much about cutting corners with the new tyres - I can't afford to do that if I want to finish rallies. Today I also learned I have to be aggressive in turning for the tyres to work to their best."

Khalid Al Qassimi [BP Ford Abu Dhabi WRT]:

"This has been a very good rally - incredibly difficult and technical but very good. It is extremely testing with the variety of conditions, many of which I haven't seen before - tarmac, ice, snow, damp and dirty roads. I was very happy to be in the top ten after the first day and was very encouraged by the pace, compared with the other drivers. My mistake obviously cost us time and ultimately, some positions but the main priority remains to gain experience and after the team did such a good job of repairing the car, I was able to continue doing that.

"I was able to re-build my confidence on the final day of the event and was again encouraged by the pace. Having Michael in the car again with me has definitely worked. We have made some small changes to my pace note system which seems to have had benefits already and we know that there are other improvements we can make. I am now looking forward to Sweden in two weeks time, to continue representing Abu Dhabi in the WRC."

"It was an incredibly difficult and technical rally but I compared my times to those of other drivers and was encouraged. I was delighted to be in the top 10 before I made my mistake and spent the rest of the event rebuilding my confidence. My relationship with my new co-driver was excellent and his WRC experience helped me with my pace notes."

Notable retirements:

Khalid Al Qassimi [BP Ford Abu Dhabi WRT]: [retired from day 2 in SS6 - went off the road - restarted under the SupeRally on day 3]

"This afternoon we were trying some different tactics and we had ninth in front of us and were chasing that position. We were doing well in the stage, if you look at the split times and ninth place looked achievable. Then, as we approached the flying finish of the stage, the final corner had gravel across it and the car simply broke away from me. We hit a rock by the side of the road and it took the left front suspension corner off the car. It's a shame but any driver in that situation would push to gain a place. However, something like this can happen at any time and it's all part of the learning process. As long as the car is repairable, we will try some new techniques tomorrow, to try to get closer to the pace of the other drivers."

[Speaking in the mid-day service] "The roads were damp, which made it slippery. Drivers ahead of us are cutting the corners and that drags dirt onto the roads. I still need to learn how Pirelli's tyres work and where the grip is because the grip level changes with every corner."

Daniel Sordo [Citroen Total WRT]: [retired from day 3 in SS11 - engine restarted under the SupeRally on day 4]

"The day started well enough. I was very pleased with the way my Citroën C4 WRC was performing and I tried to push without driving excessively quickly. The first two stages enabled us to increase our advantage over the crew following in third place, but then we had a scare with the engine on SS11 (Lamastre). I stopped to see if it was possible to repair but after a few minutes the team took the decision not to try to continue. I am obviously very disappointed not to be able to score big points for Citroën here this weekend."

Jari-Matti Latvala [BP Ford Abu Dhabi WRT]: [retired from day 3 in SS12 - suspension damage - restarted under the SupeRally on day 4]

"I made some small changes to the differential set-up at the midday service and the stage started well. I felt confident with the car and my split times were good. About halfway through on a narrow road I came to a left hand corner and tried to follow the line of the cars ahead. I must have taken a slightly tighter line because I hit a concrete stone which broke the suspension. I drove on for another 500m until I found somewhere wide enough to stop."

Toni Gardemeister [Suzuki WRT]: [retired from event after SS14 / in service G - overheating problems]

[Speaking at end of day 4] "Without the problems that we unfortunately encountered, we would have been fighting for points here * which I knew was possible from the start and P-G has also proved with his excellent performance. It's clear that the car has a lot of potential, so actually I'm very happy. Now that the season is underway, we have to keep working hard to improve the car all the time. Our next rally is Sweden, which I like a lot. If we can find a good rhythm, it's certainly possible for us to do well there."

[Speaking in service G] "It's disappointing to be forced into retirement, especially considering the fact that up until the end of it today was very good. The stages were well suited to the car, and while I'm sorry not to be able to finish the event, it has been a very positive experience for me and the whole team. We need to continue working hard to further improve our speed and reliability, but I have every confidence that we will get there."

Team principals:

Olivier Quesnel [Citroen Total WRT - team principal]:

"This result owes much to the talent of Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena. They put in a perfect run. Another win for the team on the WRC's particularly challenging curtain-raiser is a fitting reward for all the hard work put in by everyone at Citroën Sport."

"It's immensely satisfying to have started my job as Director of Citroën Sport with a win on the Monte Carlo Rally. It gives us a solid footing in both championships. I remain lucid, however, because the team is often successful on sealed surfaces. A totally different challenge awaits us in Sweden. Our rivals will doubtlessly be very strong in the slippery conditions and the fight promises to be more open."

Malcolm Wilson [BP Ford Abu Dhabi WRT - team director]:

"There was a lot of pressure on Mikko but he filled the slot left by Marcus Grönholm and I'm impressed with the job he did. I couldn't have asked more in terms of the result. It was a steep learning curve for Jari-Matti but he has drawn experience from the weekend.

Mark Deans [Ford of Europe - motorsport director]:

"To finish the most famous rally in the championship with five cars in the top 10 leaderboard was a great result for Ford. It sets the level that we must aspire to for the rest of the season, and I'm confident we can live up to that."

Ahmed Hussein [Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority - deputy director general]:
"This is an excellent result to kick-start the 2008 season for Abu Dhabi. For Mikko to finish second on this event which many regard as Loeb's own is a fantastic achievement and it was a great moment to see him and his Abu Dhabi-branded Ford Focus RS on the podium. It is a shame that both Jari-Matti and Sheikh Khalid lost time through their problems but both showed great determination and skill in reaching the finish and this once again demonstrates exactly the reasons that Abu Dhabi has joined the WRC. I am sure that this season will prove even more successful than last year in our objective of developing awareness of Abu Dhabi as a world-class destination to the global WRC fanbase."

Ichiro Kudoh [Subaru – manufacturer principal:

"This weekend has been a great result for us. It's exactly what we expected from the team. Petter and Chris both drove extremely well on what is a very difficult rally, and we will use this great start to give us a boost for the rest of season. It's very important not only for us but for the Subaru fans all over the world."

Malcolm Wilson [Stobart VK M-Sport Ford WRT - team boss]:

"It is a fantastic start to the season for the Stobart team; all four entered cars inside the top ten, both nominated crews scoring points and they have grabbed a strong position in the manufacturers' championship. For François to be so close to a podium is a remarkable achievement and you must remember this is his first time in the car. It's very promising to see that the new guys have got to grips with the car and team so quickly."

Andrew Tinkler [Stobart Group CEO]:

"What a feeling it is to see our Stobart cars racing around this amazing track, and it's even more special to see all four entered cars finish inside the top-ten. This is an historic moment and we have really started the new season in style. Gigi and François have had an excellent performance here and have really got to grips with the car while Matthew and Henning used their heads, put in strong drives, and improved their pace well over the weekend."

Nobuhiro Tajima [Suzuki WRT - team boss]:

"This rally has been an incredibly proud moment for Suzuki as we embark on our world rally dream. I would like to congratulate P-G and Toni on doing a fantastic job: for P-G to finish in the points in his first rally in a World Rally Car is incredible. I feel very sorry for Toni: he also did an amazing job and it was sad to see him retire. As well as the drivers, I would also like to thank the entire team: this achievement of scoring a point in our very first rally is entirely down to the fact that everybody has been able to work together easily straight away. We are very happy, but our philosophy at Suzuki is always to look forwards rather than back. Already the Monte Carlo Rally is a fantastic memory: now we are fully focussed in working towards the Swedish Rally in two week's time, where our objective will be to try and finish in the points again - this time with both cars. Of course it won't be easy, as the path to success is never smooth. But we can promise our complete commitment, as I hope we have already demonstrated so far. This has been a fantastic result, which was also down to the valued support of our sponsors. Congratulations to everybody!"

Paul Hembery [Pirelli - motorsport director]:

"Pirelli's debut as exclusive tyre supplier to the FIA WRC went even better than we expected. We didn't have any of the punctures that some people expected following the abolition of tyre mousse and the drivers were pleased with our tyres. It did not take long for them to get used to our products, as Loeb – who had never driven on Pirelli rubber before – amply demonstrated. It's also worth pointing out that Pirelli virtually monopolised the action when the competition between tyre manufacturers was open, as proved by Renault Clio driver Broccoli's victory in the two-wheel drive category – where the PZeros won 17 out of 19 stages. This weekend's success is not only down to some excellent work from the Pirelli technicians on-event in Monte Carlo, but also thanks to the solid preparation work at the Izmit factory in Turkey and Turin factory in Italy."

[Kate]

Classic quote from Chris "I took some risks and I was shaking for about an hour afterwards." in relation to SS13. Gave it all he had? I reckon so!