Corrado Provera: Peugeot is back!

Peugeot 206 WRC driver Marcus Gr?nholm has won the ninth round of the FIA World Rally Championship, the Rally Finland. Gr?nholm and navigator Timo Rautiainen repeated their success of 12 months ago to spray the champagne on the finish ramp in the centre of host town Jyvaskyla.

Gr?nholm and team-mate Harri Rovanper? started today's three longer stages in the top two positions. The pair were asked to bring their cars to the finish to score the maximum possible points haul for Peugeot in the manufacturers' championship and despite a late problem for Rovanper?, they did well enough to lift the French marque to third in the series.

Gr?nholm was predictably delighted with his first victory of the 2001 season. "It's been a great event for me," he said. "The car has been perfectly behaved and we've only really had to worry about rocks and heavy landings, to make sure we didn't damage suspension or get a puncture.

"Harri has driven very well and between us, we've helped Peugeot a lot in the manufacturers' championship. This rally is still one where experience really makes a difference but the whole package has worked well. It's New Zealand next and I won there last year so hopefully this can be the start of a good run for me towards the end of the year."

Rovanper? had an early scare this morning when he clipped a rock and broke a valve in his tyre. The resulting time loss put him under pressure from Richard Burns and when Harri hit damper problems on the last stage, he had to back off to ensure that he still scored some points. He eventually finished fourth, bagging three points for Peugeot.

Rovanpera said: "Of course it would have been nice to fight with Marcus but I know I was taking some risks yesterday and we have to remember that points for Peugeot was the main target here. I saw some oil coming from the damper on the stage before the end and I spun once. I knew that I'd have to take it easier in the last test to make sure I made the finish and Colin (McRae) just got past me by a couple of seconds. It just means I'll be even more determined for next year!"

Peugeot Total Team Principal Corrado Provera said: "We are delighted for Marcus and so sorry for Harri, who had late problems. But if we look at the last rally (Safari) and this, last year from the two events we took 12 points. This year we have taken 19. The efficiency and performance of the car here gives us confidence and even more enthusiasm for New Zealand. Peugeot is back!"