Greece 2009

A WELL-KNOWN CAR-BREAKER AND 2009 MAINTAINED ITS FEARSOME RECORD. THIS WILL EXPLAIN THE RATHER UNUSUAL RESULTS WHERE THE WINNER OF THE JUNIOR W.R.C. EVENT FINISHED IN 8TH PLACE IN THE 'SENIOR' EVENT! I SUSPECT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN VERY OFTEN.

MOST SPECTACULAR OF THE RETIREMENTS WAS SEBASTIEN LOEB WHOSE CAR HIT A ROCK THAT DESTROYED THE LEFT-FRONT SUSPENSION, LIFTED THE CAR INTO THE AIR AND OFF THE TRACK AND LEFT THE CAR TO BARREL-ROLL 5 TIMES DOWN THE HILL. THE CAR WAS A WRITE-OFF BUT HE AND DANIEL ELENA WERE UNSCATHED.

OTHER CASUALTIES WERE JARI-MATTI LATVALA ON SS6 (BEACHED AND DROPPED OUT OF SIGHT ON THE LEADER-BOARD BUT RECOVERED TO FINISH ON THE PODIUM THANKS TO GOOD DRIVING BUT ESPECIALLY OTHER RETIREMENTS), DANIEL SORDO AND HENNING SOLBERG (BOTH SUFFERED BROKEN FRONT SUSPENSION ON THE SAME BIG ROCK), PETTER SOLBERG (INITIALLY, BROKEN STEERING ARM THAT WAS REPAIRED AND THEN THE LEFT FRONT DAMPER SUDDENLY PUNCHED ITS WAY INTO THE ENGINE BAY) AND OTHERS TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION.

MIKKO HIRVONEN WAS VIRTUALLY THE ONLY MAJOR PLAYER STILL RUNNING AT THE END AND HE TOOK A DESERVED WIN. ONE THING IS FOR SURE, 'THE ACROPOLIS' HAS CERTAINLY SHAKEN UP THE DRIVERS AND CONSTRUCTORS CHAMPIONSHIPS!

Rally Results posted by
David Little
14th June 2009

  The HTML code for this page has been validated by the World Wide Web Consortium.