BP Ford's
Mikko Hirvonen will take a very solid lead into the final day of the Rally Japan tomorrow.
Mikko began the second leg around 10 seconds up on
Sebastien Loeb and 13.7 seconds up on
Jari-Matti Latvala. Although Seb won the first test of the day, the third run through the short 2.73 kilometre Rikubetsu test, Mikko was only 0.1 seconds slower in his Focus.
Hirvonen then set the pace in the next test, Puray 1 - the longest of the event, but with Seb only 0.4 seconds behind it was extremely close.
The next stage though turned out to be critical and when Loeb and Latvala both went off in the slippery conditions, Mikko found himself comfortably in front, more than 40 seconds up on
Daniel Sordo. Following SS14, the Finn returned to the mid-day service area 50.6 seconds up on the Spaniard.
In the afternoon loop the BP Ford #2 driver continued to push, and once again he set top three times in every single stage, just like he had in the morning.
Following the super specials Hirvonen ended the day with a 38.4 second advantage and seemingly well on course to take his second WRC win of the year and the third of his career, to add to his triumphs in Norway and Australia.
The result will also help Ford close in on the manufacturers' title - although with Sordo second, the M-Sport-run operation will only increase its margin to 34 points and with 36 still up for grabs, the ‘Blue Oval' will have to wait until Rally Ireland next month to put it beyond doubt,
assuming the positions stay as they are.
Dani meanwhile has freely admitted that he is not in contention to win, unless Mikko makes a mistake. Sordo though, has still set some very good times, including winning SS17. He finished the day more than a minute up on
Henning Solberg, who is on course for the final place on the rostrum.
Henning was delighted to end the leg in third, especially as this is his first time in Japan. The Norwegian had no real problems all day with his
Stobart Ford Focus and will now be able to pace himself to the finish.
