SS1 1838hrs Perth City Super 1 (2.35km)
The final round of the 2004 WRC season got underway last night with a visit to the Super Special stage built at Gloucester Park in central Perth. Although weather conditions were uncharacteristically rainy for the Australian event, they didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the thousands of spectators who had filled the grandstands to watch the racing. As cars went head-to-head around the circuit, Marcus Gronholm was quickest to take the overnight lead, although newly crowned 2004 World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb and Harri Rovanpera were just 0.3 seconds behinds to tie second. Petter Solberg and Mikko Hirvonen were fourth and seventh on the stage respectively after trouble free runs, while Markko Martin ended the stage with his Focus’ engine running on only three cylinders. Citroen driver Carlos Sainz had withdrawn from the event after sustaining a neck injury on the recce. However to the delight of the teams and crowds who gave him a standing ovation, the two times World Champion made a final appearance as a full-time WRC works driver by completing a parade lap of the Super Special.
Fastest Time: Gronholm (Peugeot) 1:32.9

SS2 0931hrs Stirling West (15.89km)
It was a bad start to the day for Ford’s Markko Martin. Having suffered a drop in engine oil pressure on the previous test, his team diagnosed piston damage in the early morning 10-minute service. Unable to make the necessary repairs the Estonian retired, which meant Subaru driver Petter Solberg secured second place in the 2004 Drivers’ Championship. As overnight rain and overcast skies cleared, crews completed a 156km liaison section to the start of the damp, but drying, stage. Presenting a short, twisty route, the test from Stirling West followed the contours of the Stirling Reservoir and included numerous hidden junctions that made it difficult for drivers to correctly judge braking distances. Marcus Gronholm was fastest, with Solberg second and Sebastien Loeb third. Hirvonen was sixth fastest and, after the finish, crews moved to the start of SS3.
Fastest Time: Gronholm (Peugeot) 9:14.5

SS3 1004hrs Stirling Long (34.99km)
Conditions remained damp in places for the second stage run near to the Stirling Reservoir, but at 34km it was first proper indication of how much time the leaders would concede as they swept away the loose ball-bearing type gravel surface for those following. Having stated that he was optimistic about his chances on the final rally of the year, fourth-on-the-road Gronholm was fastest though the twisty stage to take his third consecutive win. Running second, Solberg was 7.1 seconds off the Finn’s winning pace, while first-on-the-road Loeb was a further 4 seconds back for third. Hirvonen was fifth fastest, ahead of Ford’s Francois Duval in sixth. There were no leading retirements and, after the stage was complete, crews drove a 50km road section north to Murray for a 10-minute remote tyre fitting service.
Fastest Time: Gronholm (Peugeot) 19:51.2

Driver Quotes - Service T1 - After SS3

Petter Solberg:

Marcus is certainly on a roll, but I’m on the pace and things are working well. I’m going to try different tyres to try and catch him. The gap isn’t much, I’ve done well so far, but will try to push a little harder from now on.

Mikko Hirvonen:

Not perfect this morning, for some reason I’m finding it very difficult to drive. The car seems quite unpredictable and a little unstable at high speed and it’s not been easy to build my confidence. We’re going to make some suspension adjustments at this stop to improve the feeling.

SS4 1137hrs Murray North (15.92km)
Pushing hard at the wheel of his Subaru Impreza WRC2004, Petter Solberg was driving to the limit on SS4 as he battled with Gronholm to snatch the overall lead, but disaster struck 5.8km in: Hitting a rock on the apex of a right-hand bend, the Norwegian damaged his Impreza’s front-right steering arm and went off the road. Although Petter tried to get the car back on the road, the steering was too badly damaged for him to carry on and he retired. Solberg’s misfortune was Loeb’s gain and the Frenchman took second place overall, as well as the stage win. Gronholm was second quickest while Mikko Hirvonen was third. The Finn completed the stage quicker than Rovanpera and Duval who were fourth and fifth fastest respectively. After the finish, crews moved to the start of SS5.
Fastest Time: Loeb (Citroen) 8:56.9

SS5 1207hrs Murray South (19.08km)
Run under a dense canopy of branches and leaves, the tree-lined, damp 19km stage from Murray South was narrower and twistier than the first two stages of the day. Setting an average speed of 105.97kph, Loeb was fastest, with Gronholm second and his Finnish team-mate Rovanpera third. There was no change to the overall top eight and, after the stage was complete, crews returned to Perth for a 20-minute service.
Fastest Time: Loeb (Citroen) 10:48.2

Driver Quotes - Service B - After SS5

Petter Solberg:

It’s too bad, I didn’t want to end the season like this, but that’s just how it is sometimes. I was 5.8km from the start line on a right hand, third-gear corner and there was a rock on the apex, which I hit and broke the end of the steering arm. After that we couldn’t steer and went off the road on the other side. Apart from that, the car is okay. We’ll get it fixed and I’m looking forward to getting out there again tomorrow.

Mikko Hirvonen:

That was a little bit better than this morning. We changed some damper clicks at the re-fuel and that’s improved things. We also went for a wider tyre and in the drying conditions that was good too. There’s more improvement to come though, I’m not spending enough time on the clean line on the road. Sometimes I’m pushing too hard and go off line, while other times I’m too cautious. Overall, it’s very slippery.

SS6 1603hrs Beraking 1 (23.03km)
Starting with a series of long, flat out, sixth gear straights, the 23km stage from Beraking became increasingly technical and demanding towards the finish. Using a different type of damper on his 307 for this event, Gronholm was happier with the set-up of his Peugeot and was fastest to increase his overall lead to 20.4 seconds. Loeb was second and Rovanpera third. Subaru’s Mikko Hirvonen was unable to attack as aggressively as he would have liked through the last 7km due to a problem with his car’s braking system that affected the front wheels. He was fifth fastest, 10.6 seconds off fourth-quickest Duval’s time. After the finish, crews moved to the start of SS7.
Fastest Time: Gronholm (Peugeot) 13:03.5

SS7 1646hrs Helena South 1 (17.31km)
Setting an average speed of 114.05kph, the highest of the rally so far, Gronholm was fastest on the first pass though the Helena South test, which was based 40km east of Perth. Negotiating the stage’s blend of long straights, crests and stomach churning jumps, the Finn was 0.7 seconds ahead of his closest rival Loeb, while Rovanpera was a further 3.1 seconds back for third. Hirvonen’s braking problem persisted, making it difficult for him to correctly set up his Impreza on the approach to corners. At one point his car slid too far sideways under braking and he drove over a tree stump, which damaged his car’s steering rack and power-assistance system. The Finn lost more than a minute to the leaders, but remained in fifth position overall. Once the stage was complete, crews returned to Perth for a 45-minute service.
Fastest Time: Gronholm (Peugeot) 9:06.4

SS8 1945hrs Perth City Super 2 (2.35km)
SS9 1954hrs Perth City Super 3 (2.35km)
A return to the Gloucester Park Super Special bought more close racing from the remaining WRC crews, including Petter Solberg, who had re-joined the event under the FIA re-start system. Competing head-to-head on the floodlit course in front of a crowd of more than ten thousand spectators, the Norwegian was fastest on both stages to take two stage wins. Event leader Gronholm was joint third fastest through SS8 and fourth through SS9 to end the day with a 21.4 second advantage over second-place Loeb, while Rovanpera bought his Peugeot home in overnight third. Hirvonen ended the day in overnight fifth.
Fastest Time: Solberg (Subaru) 1:32.9
Fastest Time: Solberg (Subaru) 1:32.4