On Sunday October 28 the fourteenth stage of the classical rally world championship – Rally Japan has come to the end. Leaders of the world championship overall standings Finn Marcus Gronholm from Ford and Frenchman Sebastien Loeb from Citroen have not managed to finish race because of technical problems.
Gronholm has had an accident in first half of the first rally day, and Loeb has retired after that on Saturday there appeared problems with fuel delivery on his car.
During favorites absence the victory was gained by Finn Mikko Hirvonen from Ford. For him this victory became the third in rally stages career. Daniel Sordo from Citroen finished the second, and the third was – Henning Solberg, as well as the winner representing Ford.
In the world championship overall standings leaders’ position has not changed: Gronholm takes first place, he has 104 points, Loeb is on the second place, having 100 points. Only two stages remains before the championship’s end. The nearest of them will take place in Ireland on November 16-18.
