Duval takes 'junior' Monte Carlo win.
Ford Puma driver Francois Duval has scored a comfortable victory in the opening round of the FIA World Junior Rally Championship.
The Belgian and his navigator Jean-Marc Fortin grabbed the top spot yesterday evening when leader Gianluigi Galli crashed his Fiat, and the pair consolidated their advantage during today's tests to win the 1600cc, front-wheel drive category by more than four minutes.
Italian Nicola Caldani brought his Peugeot 206 home to claim second-place points, ahead of Lebanese driver Roger Feghali.
Ford Puma driver Francois Duval has scored a comfortable victory in the opening round of the FIA World Junior Rally Championship.
The Belgian and his navigator Jean-Marc Fortin grabbed the top spot yesterday evening when leader Gianluigi Galli crashed his Fiat, and the pair consolidated their advantage during today's tests to win the 1600cc, front-wheel drive category by more than four minutes.
Italian Nicola Caldani brought his Peugeot 206 home to claim second-place points, ahead of Lebanese driver Roger Feghali.
Feghali impressed greatly en route to third with Swede Daniel Carlsson fourth - the third Ford Puma in a top six point-scoring position. On a rally of huge attrition, five of the seven Pumas finished, Martin Rowe being joined on the retirement list today by Spaniard Marc Blazquez with a broken gearbox.
Peugeot's David Doppelreiter was fifth and Nikolaus Schelle (Suzuki Ignis) was sixth netting the final point position in the Junior category.
JWRC leaders after leg 3:
1. Francois Duval Ford Puma 4hours 25mins 06.2secs
2. Nicola Caldani Peugeot 206 XS+04mins 14.9secs
3. Roger Feghali Ford Puma +07mins 10.4secs
4. Daniel Carlsson Ford Puma +07mins 24.1secs
5. David Doppelreiter Peugeot 206 XS +09mins 47.6secs
6. Nikolaus SchelleSuzuki Ignis +09mins 50.4secs
