Chris Atkinson held on to take the final spot on the podium, only the second time he has managed the feat. The Aussie came under immense pressure from
Francois Duval on the final day and saw his lead cut back from 20 seconds to just 1.1 seconds going into the Monaco GP circuit super special.
In the end Chris and Duval both posted the joint fastest time in SS19 and as such the
Subaru took third.
Duval had to be content with P4, but it was still a top showing from the Belgian and he set three fastest times on the final day as he tried to wrestle the rostrum place from Atkinson. Despite missing out though his form should be enough to ensure this one-off appearance with the
Stobart Ford outfit is extended.
Petter Solberg was next up in fifth, albeit more than 1.5 minutes off the exciting battle for third in his Impreza. Hollywood's form was solid but rather unspectacular and while it was his best ever result on the Monte, he will be hoping for a lot better in Sweden.
Gigi Galli completed the top six on his first outing with the Stobart Ford team - and his first in the WRC since the Rallye de Portugal in April 2007, while Jean-Marie Cuoq was the top privateer, bringing his Peugeot 307 WRC home in a very respectable seventh place.
Suzuki's Per-Gunnar Andersson completed the top eight and in doing so gave the SX4 WRC its first ever points finish on only its third outing in the WRC. P-G set some strong times throughout the event and even managed a fifth fastest time on day 3. All-in-all it was a top performance, especially as it was his first event in a World Rally Car.
Stobart Ford duo
Henning Solberg and
Matthew Wilson rounded out the top ten after trouble-free runs.
Of the rest, Sordo was classified in eleventh, having re-started on day 4. He could easily have finished in second but for his mechanical problems on Saturday. The fact he took the final manufacturers' point - a result which gives
Citroen the early lead in the manufacturers' championship was some consolation, although not much when second was his for the taking.
