Catalunya - Ford World Rally Team - Leg 2Ford drivers Marcus Grönholm and Timo Rautiainen were fastest through today's second leg of Rally de España in a Focus RS World Rally Car. The Finns won four of the eight asphalt speed tests in the Catalonian mountains south of Barcelona
to consolidate third position on this 12th round of the FIA World Rally Championship.
Team-mates Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen strengthened their grip on fourth in another Focus RS after a day of consistently fast times.
In contrast to the opening leg, today remained dry throughout. While the rally base at Salou was bathed in glorious sunshine, the special stages to the north and west were cloudy but there was never any threat of rain and tyre choice was far more straightforward.
Although yesterday evening's rain left more damp patches than expected, dry weather rubber remained the natural choice throughout the day on both Focus RS cars. Drivers tackled two identical anti-clockwise loops of four speed tests covering 119.16km.
Grönholm started the day 50.6sec behind leader
Sebastien Loeb and 39.3sec away from second-placed Dani Sordo. The 39-year-old Finn knew he had little chance of closing such a large gap on outright pace but needed to maintain the pressure to be in position to capitalise on any mistakes or problems ahead.
He won two tests in the morning loop to narrow the gap to Loeb by 3.0sec and then won the first and last tests this afternoon to cut another 4.0sec from the Frenchman's advantage. They ended the day 43.
6sec apart with Grönholm now 30.7sec behind Sordo.
"Today was much better now that the sun was shining and the roads were drier," said Grönholm. "It would have been nicer to have had this yesterday because the rain destroyed my rally then. I've been very evenly matched with the two guys ahead. The goal is to keep the pressure on them and not let them relax or feel comfortable. One spin for them and I am there."
"I'm happy with the car and my driving. I have been pretty much flat out all day. There was a little left in reserve, but not much, and I didn't want to use that and take risks. My tyre choice was good but the asphalt was still quite damp in places this morning. I was expecting it to be totally dry and that wasn't the case," he added.
Hirvonen posted two top three times as he strived to narrow the gap to the two leaders and at the same time extend his advantage over fifth-placed François Duval. Despite stretching his lead over the Belgian by 13.0sec to 45.6sec, he was unable to make up any ground on the leaders and eased his pace over the final two stages to consolidate fourth.
"I was driving to the maximum for most of the day but I couldn't take any time back from Loeb and Sordo so I steadied my pace on the final two stages," he said. "I proved I have the speed to match them in the dry but the gap was just too big after yesterday. I was also trying to do everything I could to increase the gap over Duval to help the team's title challenge. I broke a mousse insert in my front left tyre on the penultimate stage. I should have changed it but didn't and the car was sliding a lot as a result on the final test."
Ford Team Director Malcolm Wilson was delighted that his drivers were able to keep the pressure on the cars ahead. "Marcus and Mikko both drove well in conditions they like and Marcus was the fastest driver today. The strategy tomorrow is the same, to keep the pressure on and see what happens," he said.
The third and final leg is the shortest of the rally, comprising two identical loops of two stages west of Salou that are split by a return to the PortAventura service park on the edge of the town. After leaving Salou at 07:30, drivers face 85.66km of competition before the finish ceremony at 14.50.
Ford World Rally Team
