World Rally News

Peugeot team leader, Marcus Gronholm has retired from the Telstra Rally Australia in the first test of the day, SS10, after going off the road.

SS7 - Helena South 1 (17.31 kms): Gronholm fastest through SS7; Loeb second; Rovanpera third; Duval fourth; Warmbold fifth; Atkinson sixth; McRae leads the PCWRC; Gronholm leads the overall event by 21.1secs. Stage times and overall standings after SS7.

Subaru's Petter Solberg has retired from the Telstra Rally Australia, after hitting a rock in SS4 and going off the road. The Norwegian, and his co-driver, Phil Mills were unhurt in the incident, however they were unable to continue.

Ford boss, Malcolm Wilson has admitted to being 'seriously concerned' about the Focus RS of number one driver, Markko Martin, after the Estonian's car dropped onto three cylinders and the oil pressure dipped, on the first stage of the event, the Perth City Super 1, which precedes the start of the

Carlos Sainz's WRC career may already be over, as the Spaniard contemplates missing the last round of his final season following an accident in testing for Telstra Rally Australia.

Feel the Road by winning a force-feedback steering wheel with Colin McRae Rally 2005 .

An era of world motorsport will come to an end this weekend, as the Mini Cooper makes its final appearance in the World Rally Championship in Rally Australia.

The championship outcome may well already be settled but there is still one final battle to come, and that promises to be a particularly thrilling affair given that the main contenders will be free to drive flat out, with no pressure or team considerations weighing in the balance.

The 2004 FIA Production Car World Rally Championship reaches fever point this coming week when four crews will be vying for the series title in the final round of the Championship, Rally Australia [November 12-14].

Just days after Ford confirmed that it would be committing to the World Rally Championship for a further four years, PSA group marques Citroen and Peugeot have shocked the rally world by announcing that they would remain in the series for just one more season.

Following the announcement of its new four-year commitment to the FIA World Rally Championship, Ford of Europe took the opportunity to reveal what the new generation Ford Focus RS WRC could look like.

Colin McRae prot?g? Kris Meeke underlined his potential by scoring Junior World Rally Championship points on his debut with the Citroen C2, at one stage challenging for a podium position before battling back to sixth after a puncture delayed his initial progress.

On his only his third WRC event, and his twelfth ever competitive rally, former F1 tester Stephane Sarrazin was awarded the Inmarsat 'Star of the Rally' after a superb performance on Rallye Catalunya.

Markko Martin [Ford]:

Sebastien Loeb may have clinched the title but the battle for second is as close as ever. Markko Martin is now just three points behind Petter Solberg after winning in Spain. Marcus Gronholm secures fifth in the standings with second place.

Natalie Barratt's 2004 JWRC season came to a premature end when she was forced to retire on SS6 of the opening leg of Rally Catalunya.

SS3 - Gombren - St Jaume Frontanya 1 (22.55 kms): Duval fastest on damp stage ahead of teammate Martin, Gronholm third ahead of Citroen duo Sainz and Loeb in fifth and sixth. Loeb leads but just 1.1secs cover top three. Loix first main driver to retire, Andersson leads JWRC.

SS2 - Alpens - Les Llosses 1 (21.80 kms): Loeb quickest through SS2 to move into lead of event. Martin second ahead of tarmac expert Panizzi in an impressive third. Gronholm fourth ahead of Sainz, Sola and Sarrazin, Duval and Solberg eighth and ninth. Bernardi takes JWRC lead.

After the twists and turns of Corsica, the WRC moves on to its second successive asphalt event in Spain.

Veteran co-driver Paavo Lukander has announced that he is to retire from co-driving - meaning that Rally Catalunya this weekend will be his final event in the sport.

Kris Meeke will be in the spotlight on next week's Catalunya Rally in Spain, when he gives Citro?n's C2 its Junior World Rally Championship debut.

Peugeot driver Freddy Loix answers questions ahead of next weekends Rally Catalunya. Q: You know Spain's WRC round rather well. How would you describe it?

German driver, Antony Warmbold has secured the M-Sport Focus Challenge with one points-scoring round to go. With his closet rival, Janne Tuohino from Finland electing not to start in Catalunya, the challenge has been won by Warmbold in the AW Motorsport, Ford Focus WRC.

"Winning the championship as a French driver with a French team on home soil is as good as it gets." The words of newly crowned World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb, the thirty year old celebating his title with a summersault on the podium.