2.8.2009 13:10

FLASH INFO

SS23 RUUHIMÄKI
6.50kms

Very sunny, and a nice dry stage, with 'country asphalt´ the surface of the day. No stones, nice and smooth, with plenty of jumps. The best way to end a rally classic.

15: Khalid Al Qassimi/Michael Orr
"That was a good run, and we are improving every year with our stage times. I am looking forward to more. Yesterday was our biggest moment when we went off into a ditch and hit a big rock."
Michael Orr: "A good weekend for us with no mistakes, so we shouldn´t be too disappointed."

5: Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin
"That´s the first time we´ve got a point here in Finland. It was not a great rally if I´m honest and we need to learn a few things for when we come back here. But I´ve had a great time and the last two stages were really good fun."
Scott Martin: "We have really enjoyed ourselves and have set some good times. This is one event though that if you are a little bit off the pace you can lose a heck of a lot of time."

16: Jari Ketomaa/Mika Stenberg
"I wanted a better result definitely - our times could have been better but I am very happy to have been near the top 5. We have only had 100kms testing in this car."
Mike Stenberg: "When we had good stages with no problems we were happy with our times. But with the engine problems and puncture our overall result was not so good. We could have been 5th overall if we didn´t have those problems."

12: Sebastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia
"I made a mistake in the first junction but I finished quite well. It will be close between me and Rantanen that´s for sure. It has been a very good rally for me and a fantastic fight with Matti. In this rally you need confidence in your car and your pacenotes."

10: Matti Rantanen/Mikko Lukka
"We have held onto our fifth overall by 0.3 of a second. Unbelievable! What a fantastic fight! I am really happy. I would like to drive some more WRC events but it depends on teams and sponsors."

2: Dani Sordo/Marc Marti
"Fourth overall is very good but Jari-Matti was better in the end. I am very happy with the car and the performance and the team. I know I can go faster but that would have meant taking risks. So for me to finish here really helps us in the manufacturer´s Championship."

4: Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila
"My God what a rally. To finish third here is absolutely fantastic, really great. It has been the hardest result to get with me being sick and then having to be fighting so hard with Dani, who has had his best Rally Finland. I am really very happy."
Miikka Antilla: "For sure, SS19 yesterday was the worst stage for us. It was so slippy and it changed that character of the notes."

1: Sebastien Loeb/Daniel Elena
"It had been one hell of a battle with Mikko, but he was really good and fast. When I had my puncture I knew it was over. But we have Championship points so that is good for us."

3: Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen
"I am really relieved and delighted! It is absolutely a great feeling! I have been watching this rally as a kid and now to win my home rally with a really great team behind me is a dream come true."
Jarmo Lehtinen: "I was a spectator on this rally 31 years ago and now I cannot believe I have won it. I am very close to tears."

66: Juho Hanninen/Mikko Markkula
"We take tenth position. We had no problem the whole weekend so a big thanks to the team. I don´t know about my next WRC event but this one was really enjoyable."

67: Anton Alen/Timo Alanne
"It was not what we were hoping for and our problems meant we have had to finish second which is not the result we wanted."

68: Patrik Flodin/Maria Andersson
"We had really good fun on those final two stages. We had some really nice jumps and a great rally. I am in a different class on this rally. Hirvonen can take 10s off me and it is just incredible."

69: Janne Tuohino/Markku Tuohino
"It is sad that we retire yesterday but we can take this as a learning experience. I am hoping we can do better for next year."

38: Martin Prokop/Jan Tomanek
"What a relief! 2009 JWRC Champion! We are very happy and with a result like this is just the best feeling. We have worked so hard and now I am at the top of the list. Fantastic and thank you to my excellent team."

59: Kalle Pinomaki/Matti Kaskinen
"We had a really good weekend with no mistakes. I am really satisfied to be second in class."

75: Urmo Aava/Kuldar Sikk
"It has been a good rally. The car has been working quite well. The only problem was the suspension damage we had on Friday where we lost time repairing it ourselves on stage. Still, a good event and we enjoyed it."

32: Michal Kosciuszko/Maciek Szczepaniak
"Third in Juniors is not bad here but I am happy with the result. Martin (Prokop) has done a great job all season. He has made no mistakes all season which is why he is Champion, so congratulations to him."

31: Aaron Nicolai Burkart/Michael Kolbach
"We go on to the next event but have enjoyed this event from start to finish despite having that puncture and damper fail on us. I am sad that my Championship is now over."



62: Jon Williams/George Gwynn
"Really happy with my result here, my first time. We literally took fifth place in the PWRC here on the last stage."

72: Mattias Therman/Janne Perala
"It was a blast! The long stage on SS21 was really demanding but just brilliant. It is my first time on the event. It was a privilege to see the Ford WRC team at work."

97: Craig Breen/Gareth Roberts
"A magic weekend, I am really thrilled. The recce was very hard work but we have benefitted from the pre-event test. To win here against Finnish opposition is incredible. I have only been rallying since last September and I need to keep my feet on the ground."

99: Jussi Kumpumaki/Mikael Korhonen
"It was a good battle and the car performed well in the end. This was my first time here at Rally Finland so I don´t have enough experience in the stages. But I had good confidence."

71: Jouni Arolainen/Risto Pietilainen
"The last stage was good and despite brake problems on Friday we have had a good rally. I had a goal to be in the top 15 and I have achieved that on this stage."

100: Emre Yurdakul/Burak Erdener
"I am pleased to finish 4th in the Fiesta Championship. It has not been the best weekend for us but I hope we can get better results some other time."

98: Patrick Anglade/Bjorn Rohm
"I am very relieved to finish this rally. It has not been my weekend - I have had so many problems and made so many mistakes, however as this is my first time in Finland I am very pleased to finish."

117: Patrik Ottosson/Stefan Ottosson
"We have won our class but it is a shame we couldn´t go faster on these stages but we were protecting our class lead. We have been driving cautiously since yesterday since the class year retired. This has been a very special rally for us."

111: Kari Hytonen/Ismo Pietilainen
"I think this must be my 12th Rally Finland and for me it is my local event as I live in Jyvaskyla. It is very pleasing to get this result as it is a standard car with a standard gearbox and to get to get to the finish is very good. This has been overall a very good year so far."

105: Ahmed Al Mansoori/Killian Duffy
"I think we have taken fifth place in the Fiesta Championship. We have done four WRC events this year and the first time we have finished without SupeRally rules."

107: Fabrizio de Sanctis/Sergio Biancolli
"We lost our brakes in SS22 and so had to take this last stage very carefully over the jumps!"

113: Mikael Wikstedt/Hannu Rokkanen
"I am third in Class and for me the result is the best in Rally Finland. This is the first time I have driven here though!"

123: Adrian Linton/Jonathan Linton
"This rally has been a total pleasure. It is our first time here and only our third WRC event."