SWRT - Rally NZ Team Summary
Sep-04 2007 / 23:07 EDT | posted by RallyJGD

Subaru World Rally Team drivers Chris Atkinson and Stephane Prevot finished Rally New Zealand fourth today, after a thrilling battle with Ford�s Jari-Matti Latvala that went right to the line.

The stunning coastline around Raglan was the setting for a nail-biting final leg, which started with Atkinson 10 seconds adrift of fourth-placed Latvala, but determined to snatch back the position he held on leg one. In contrast to yesterday's dry and dusty roads, today's seven gravel speed tests were largely damp, with rain showers making some sections slippery and muddy. Tyre choices played an important part in the day, but ultimately, success came down to nerves and pure speed as the drivers duelled on the spectacular North Island roads.

The pair set off at a lightning pace, and with the rain lashing down on the first test, SS12, Latvala beat 27-year-old Atkinson to extend his advantage to 11.4sec. But the Subaru driver was quick to respond, and clawed back seven seconds over the next two tests. After the mid-point service, and on fresh BFGoodrich rubber, Atkinson was on electric form - joint second-fastest on SS15, he set exactly the same time as Mikko Hirvonen and current World Champion Sebastien Loeb. The decisive stage, however, was the second run through Whaanga Coast, the longest test of the day, when Atkinson took almost seven seconds out of Latvala, and vaulted ahead by 2.7sec. Another excellent time on the Super Special at Hamilton consolidated the result.

After their frustrations of Friday and Saturday, Petter Solberg and Phil Mills enjoyed their most competitive form on today�s final leg and ended the rally seventh. Solberg set the third fastest time on the opening test, and was far happier with the handling of his Impreza WRC2007.

The rally was won by Marcus Gronholm, who took first place from overnight leader Sebastien Loeb on the penultimate stage. Gronholm won by a margin of 0.3ses, the closest finish in the history of the WRC.

The WRC moves to Spain for the twelfth round of the championship, Rally Catalunya, which begins on October 5th. The third sealed surface event of the season takes place in the Tarragona region of southern Spain and is the quickest asphalt rally on the calendar. Run in the mountains around Salou, with a service park in the Port Aventura theme park, this is the closest that rallying gets to circuit racing, with wide, flowing stages, high-speed corners and smooth asphalt.