Mexico (P) - 9-11 Mar 07

Posted: March 11, 2007 9:39 PM

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Loeb back on song in Mexico
Reigning World Rally Champion, Frenchman Sebastian Loeb, was back on song in this weekend's Rally Mexico, the fourth round of the World Rally Championships (WRC). After a disastrous event in Norway two weeks ago where he failed to pick up any points, Loeb showed the form that has secured him the driver's championship three years running by finishing almost a minute in front of Finland's Marcus Grohnholm in his BP Ford Focus.

Grohnholm snatched back second place from team-mate and fellow countryman Mikko Hirvonnen on the third and final day of the event, which took place in the mountains high above Mexico city.

Ireland's father and son team Austin and Gareth MacHale failed to finish the rally. Gareth and co-driver Paul Nagle broke a track arm on a rock on Special Stage 13 and were forced to retire. It was a disappointing blow for the pair, who had been sitting in ninth place until then. Austin MacHale and co-driver Brian Murphy went off road and rolled their car on the second test of the day and were also forced to retire. Both Austin and Brian were uninjured.

The next event in the WRC calendar is Rally Portugal which is making its debut in the Championships from 30 March to 1 April. Rally Ireland, the third new round in the championships this year, will take place from 15-18 November

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PRE EVENT NEWS

Results:
www.wrc.com - World Rally Championship Offical Site
or
worldrallynews.com (WRC)

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• Gareth to run 10th on the Road and Austin 14th on Day one.
• World Rally Championship heats up in Mexico
• 2 MacHale cars entered in Mexico - Austin enters along son Gareth

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Gareth to run 10th on the Road and Austin 14th on Day one.

Rally Mexico

• 2007 FIA World Rally Championship

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World Rally Championship heats up in Mexico
It may have the shortest route of any World Rally Championship (WRC) event, but there will be no shortage of action at Rally Mexico this weekend.

Going into the fourth round of the Championship, the driver’s standings see one win apiece for reigning Wold Champion Sébastian Loeb from France, and the Finnish pair of Marcus Gronholm and Mikko Hirvonen, with all no doubt aiming to take top points home.

It was at Rally Mexico in 2006 that Gareth MacHale scored Ireland’s first World Championship points in over twenty years with a stunning sixth place finish, and he will be aiming to better that performance this year with a new car and his father, Austin MacHale, as his team-mate.

The event covering a total distance of 850 km, is based in León, 400km north of Mexico City. It is the highest round in the series, with the opening day's Ortega test climbing through cacti-filled mountains to a breathtaking 2737 metres. It begins on Thursday evening with a fiesta-like ceremonial start in Guanajuato, a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site, which last year drew almost 60,000 fans. The town is famed for its beauty and underground network of roads.

The first two legs each comprise two identical loops of three stages before two passes over a super special stage at León's race circuit. The track also hosts a double run on Sunday morning to bring the rally to a close.

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15/02/07
Austin MacHale with regular Navigator Brian Murphy has put a surprise entry in for Mexico.

Full Entry list on:

Rally Mexico

• 2007 FIA World Rally Championship