Puncture eliminates Mikkelsen from the fightMads Ostberg and his co-driver Ole Kristian Unnerund won the first round of the Norwegian Rally Championship, Mountain Rally Norway, in their Subaru Impreza WRC. Ostberg was 93s ahead of Anders Grondal in a Subaru Impreza WRC.
20 year old Ostberg had a hard fight against the young star Andreas Mikkelsen (18) in a Ford Focus WRC06. Mikkelsen took the lead on stage 1, but Ostberg fought back on stage two and three. After the three first stages on the brilliant winter roads in the mountains over the small valley village Gol, Ostberg was in the lead, 3.5s ahead of Mikkelsen.
On stage four (24.47 km) Mikkelsen took back the lead, 1.3s ahead of Ostberg. On stage five (13.95 km) Mikkelsen took 2.2s more and was 3.5s ahead of Ostberg. On stage six (7.08 km) Mikkelsen was 0.8s faster than Ostberg, and before the longest stage in the rally it was 4.3s that separated the two young guns.
In stage seven (24.65 km) Mikkelsen had a puncture, and had to stop and change the tyre. Then the rest was a parade for Ostberg and his Subaru. Mikkelsen secured third place in front of Ostberg's father Morten in third.
This was Ostberg's ninth win in a row in the Norwegian championship.
World Rally driver Henning Solberg and his co-driver Cato Menkerud took part in the rally in a Ford Fiesta ST (N3) just for fun. They won the class and for the first time since 2003 but he has no plans to defend the lead in the next round, KNA Rally Finnskog on the 16th of February.
Also World Rally driver Conrad Rautenbach participated in the Mountain Rally Norway to be prepared for the Swedish Rally in February. Together with co-driver David Senior he drove a Ramsport Ford Focus05 and was eighth overall in his first ever snow rally.
Mountain Rally Norway : Results
1 Østberg-Unnerud Subaru Impreza WRC S10 1h40'20"0
2 Grøndal-Andersson Subaru Impreza WRC S10 + 1'33"9
3 Mikkelsen-Fløene Ford Focus WRC + 5'09"6
4 Østberg-Østberg Subaru Impreza WRC S10 + 5'14"2
5 Stenshorne-Andersen Mitsubishi Lancer (N) + 5'35"8
6 Andresen-Abrahamsen Peugeot 307 WRC + 6'12"8
7 Brynildsen-Giraudet Mitsubishi Lancer (N) + 6'17"4
8 Rautenbach-Senior Ford Focus WRC + 6'18"1
9 Selmer-Holmen Ford Focus WRC + 6'21"3
10 Bieltvedt-Eilertsen Subaru Impreza (N) + 6'56"9
11 Kongsrud-Isdal Mitsubishi Lancer + 7'07"8
12 Sulland-Nordhagen Subaru Impreza (N) + 8'16"0
13 Johnsrød-Engan Mitsubishi Lancer (N) + 8'28"8
14 Nygård-Mattsson Subaru Impreza (N) + 8'45"9
15 Solberg-Menkerud Ford Fiesta ST (N) + 9'24"2
Source Norwegian Rally Championship
