Mikko Hirvonen and BP-Ford move into championship lead

With two of the fifteen rounds completed, Mikko Hirvonen leads the 2008 WRC drivers’ contest, six points clear of his team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala who ties second with Sebastien Loeb.

Gigi Galli and Petter Solberg are equal fourth, with a total of nine points.

Today’s result is a spectacular success for Ford, which filled all three podium spots with Jari-Matti Latvala, Mikko Hirvonen and Stobart driver Gigi Galli.

The BP-Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team moves into the lead of the manufacturers contest, 10 points clear of the Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team and Subaru World Rally Team who tie second.

FIA World Rally Championship - 2008
Drivers’ standings after the Swedish Rally

1 Hirvonen 16
=2 Latvala 10
=2 Loeb 10
=4 Galli 9
=4 P.Solberg 9
6 Atkinson 6
7 Duval 5
8 Mikkelsen 4
9 Sordo 3
10 Gardemeister 2

FIA World Rally Championship - 2008
Manufacturers’ standings after the Swedish Rally

1 BP-Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team 26
=2 Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team 16
=2 Subaru World Rally Team 16
4 Citroen Total World Rally Team 15
5 Suzuki World Rally Team 5