Munchi's Ford World Rally Team co-founder Luis-Perez Companc had a premature end to his final ever WRC event last weekend, when he was forced to pull out at the end of day two.

Companc, who was running just outside the top ten and on course to pick up the final manufacturers' point, had enjoyed a fairly smooth run, his only minor issue an intercom problem on Friday's opening day.

However during the final test on Saturday he collided with a large rock and, while he was able to complete the stage, 500 metres after the finish, co-driver Jose Maria Volta began complaining of pain in his ribs.

Volta was subsequently taken by helicopter to Central Finland Health Care hospital in Jyvaskyla for 'precautionary checks'. He was later released with no broken bones but just some muscular soreness.

"It hasn't been the perfect end to my rally career and for sure we would have liked to get to the end of my last rally,” Companc stated. “But we are in Finland, it is a very special place and as you can see, it can catch out any driver.

“With the accident we ran wide on a corner into the ditch and hit a boulder very hard on José's side. I could hear that he was winded and breathing heavily and he waved to continue to the end of the stage.

“Then the pain got worse and we stopped after the finish as it was too much for José to continue. It was a surprise accident as the rally was going very well for us, we didn't expect to have been setting those times - and it all seemed to be under control."

Asked about his time in the WRC, and the 30 events he has taken in, Companc noted that he has a lot of fond memories from his years in action between 2001 to now.

Indeed as well as thanking his fans for all their support and Ford for their help, he unsurprisingly picked out last year's Rally Japan as one of his best outings, when he finished fifth.