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Rally reactions: Wales Rally GB - Leg 3

Mikko Hirvonen [BP Ford WRT]:

"To finish the season with a victory is the best possible preparation for 2008, For me to stand on the podium with Sébastien Loeb, winner of four world titles, and Marcus Grönholm, one of the sport's greatest-ever drivers, at the end of such a fantastic season is perfect. It was Marcus' final rally but I wasn't tempted to give him the win. I know him well and he would not have wanted it that way. To finish the year with three wins is so much more than I thought at the start of the season.

"I made things exciting on the final stage when I went off the road and nearly got stuck in a ditch. I'm glad we made it through the weekend in really difficult conditions and I'm pleased for the team that we could end the season with a superb result like this.”

[Speaking after SS17] "We went off [in the last stage]. I hadn't planned it. It was such a stupid place. I went straight on and had to do a 360 degree spin turn in the forest. This season has been fantastic. This is the best possible way to go into 2008. Yes, I'm ready to be team leader. Next year is my chance.”


Marcus Gronholm [BP Ford WRT]:

"We [myself and Timo Rautiainen - my co-driver] were both very emotional at the end of the final stage. To end my career in a team like this is a wonderful feeling. I've enjoyed two years at Ford with almost no problems and had a great car to drive. Although I'm disappointed that I couldn't win the championship, it was clear before I started this rally that it would be difficult.

"This was an incredibly hard weekend. Driving in fog, rain and darkness at the same time was so difficult and as I'm newly-retired, I'm so happy that I don't have to drive in those conditions any more! did all I could but it wasn't here that I missed out on the title, it was when I crashed on the previous round in Ireland."

[Speaking after SS17] "I am disappointed, of course, but okay, it has been a difficult rally. We lost the title in Ireland. Will I come back? No, it's okay, I've had enough."


Sebastien Loeb [Citroen Total WRT]:

"Its just fantastic! Finishing third today after such a frustrating rally means we are the World Champions for the fourth year running. The challenge we faced before the start was not as simple as all that. We have been fighting to make it back to the top of the championship ever since the day we went off in Sardinia but we always believed we would succeed. The combination of the Citroën C4's potential on all the different types of surface that make up the championship and the excellent work put in by everyone at Citroën Sport kept us in the chase and it's really great to have pulled it off today! Of my four titles, this was without doubt the most hotly contested. To have succeeded after such a fierce fight with Marcus Grönholm on stages across the world gives it a very special flavour. I know Marcus would have liked to have ended his retirement year by taking the crown, but I'm only half sorry he didn't! On the other hand, I am glad to have clinched the title on Guy Fréquelin's last rally as the boss of Citroën Sport."

[Speaking after SS17] "Incredible, hey? When I started ten years ago we had nothing and now I have four world titles. It's a very good feeling to win this year, as I've had a very hard battle with Marcus. To win by four points is a really good moment. This was my hardest battle for a title, for sure. It was exciting all the time during the year."


Petter Solberg [Subaru WRT]:

“We came here to do the best we could and the team have been working so hard to get back on top again. We thought we could do better here than we have, but we have to push forward for next year now. We have taken back third overall in the manufacturer championship which is so important, and I thank the team for all their effort this year. Now we have a small break before Monte Carlo, but we are doing lots of testing and I am looking forward to coming back strongly for some better results in the new season. It's very important for Subaru that we are getting back on track. I really want to get back on top again too.”


Daniel Sordo [Citroen Total WRT]:

"I tried before the rally to reach the podium but unfortunately I couldn't. The conditions made it very difficult."

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Sebastien Loeb (FRA), Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC.
Marcus Gronholm (FIN), BP Ford Focus RS WRC 06.
Mikko Hirvonen (FIN), BP Ford Focus RS WRC 06.
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