Khalid secures career-best result

Athens: BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team driver Shaikh Khalid Al Qasimi delivered an extraordinary finish to secure their best world rally championship (WRC) result at the Acropolis Rally of Greece on Sunday.

Despite various obstacles during day three, which included Stage 16 being cancelled due to spectator intrusion, increasingly hot weather conditions, and rough roads, it was an exceptional rally for the BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team leading to the 70th rally victory for Ford.

Shaikh Khalid, the most successful Emirati world-rally driver to date, managed to maintain an impressive pace and composure throughout the day, to finish strongly in sixth position.

He earned three championship points and moved up to 11th position overall in the WRC Drivers' Championship.

The rally, the toughest encounter in the 12-event series ,was won by BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team driver Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen.

The pair finished one minute 12.9 seconds ahead of Frenchman Sebastian Ogie while BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team colleagues Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila were third in another Focus RS WRC to secure maximum points in the manufacturers' series for the Blue Oval. "I drove cleverly, no punctures, no mistakes, it was fantastic. If you get through a difficult rally like this without suffering problems, you are the winner. Now we are back in the fight (for the championship)." the 28-year-old Hirvonen said.

Speaking to Gulf News Shaikh Khalid and co-driver Orr commented.

"This rally is very tough, it's all about surviving, we have good strategy and it is paying off."

Latvala admitted he was relieved to climb back onto the podium.

"I thought I had lost everything on Friday evening. A place on the podium was never in my dreams but others made mistakes and their cars broke and that's exactly what I achieved. My strategy yesterday was to save the tyres, save the car and drive round the rocks and it paid off.," said the 24-year-old Finn.

"This rally required respect and the result is so important for me and the team from the championship perspective.

BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson said: "It's the first time a Focus RS WRC has won a world rally with an engine built entirely at M-Sport, and that's a proud achievement. Our championship hopes were written off before Sardinia but we didn't give up and we're back in the fight."