30 Apr 12

Ford’s
new
WRC
record:
10 key
facts

Ford made history on Philips Rally Argentina on Sunday when Petter Solberg's sixth-place made it 150 consecutive point-scoring finishes in the FIA World Rally Championship powered by Nokia. Here are 10 key facts behind the remarkable run.

1: The King starts the run

Carlos Sainz, the driver known affectionately as The King, finishes third on Rallye Monte-Carlo in 2002 (pictured) to start the record-breaking run.

2: Hirvonen’s key contribution

Before switching to the rival Citroen team for 2012, Mikko Hirvonen made a key contribution to Ford’s record run with 84 points finishes.

3: Ford’s famous 12

Apart from Hirvonen, 11 other drivers have contributed to Ford’s record. They are: Francois Duval (19 scores), Toni Gardemeister (13 scores), Marcus Gronholm (29 scores), Roman Kresta (10 scores), Jari-Matti Latvala (48 scores), Markko Martin (28 scores), Colin McRae (nine scores), Carlos Sainz (nine scores), Henning Solberg (one score), Petter Solberg (four scores) and Janne Tuohino (two scores).

4: Eight reasons to celebrate

On Wales Rally GB in November 2011, eight Ford Fiesta RS WRCs finished in the top 10.

5: The half-century

Fifth position for Toni Gardemeister on the Cyprus Rally in 2005 earned Ford its 50th consecutive finish in the WRC.

6: Double joy in New Zealand

Not only did Ford celebrate 75 consecutive scores in the WRC, but victory for Marcus Gronholm and second place for Mikko Hirvonen on Rally New Zealand in 2006 earned Ford the manufacturers’ crown for the first time since 1979, a title it would successfully defend the following year.

7: One hundred cheers

Ford might have earned the wrath of former Citroen team head Olivier Quesnel with its inspired use of tactics but a one-two finish on Rally of Turkey in 2008 extended the Blue Oval’s sequence to 100 WRC events.

8: The Swede smell of success

Of the 40 wins Ford has achieved during its record run, six have come on Rally Sweden, the make’s most successful event.

9: Podiums aplenty

Since Carlos Sainz’s podium on Rallye Monte-Carlo in 2002, Ford has taken another 95 podium finishes in the WRC with 14 consecutive top-three finishes achieved between Rally d’Italia Sardegna in 2006 and Rally Guanajuato Mexico in 2007. An identical run began on Rally Argentina in 2007 and ended in Mexico the following season.

10: Global domination

Ford’s 1983 points scored in the FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers during its 150-event stretch have been earned in 23 different countries.