Ford: We will launch 'detailed investigation'.

Ford has pledged to launch a 'detailed investigation' after six of its cars, including those of 'A' team drivers, Marcus Gronholm and Mikko Hirvonen, were penalised by the stewards.

All the 06 spec Ford Focus WRC runners - namely Gronholm and Hirvonen, as well as Stobart trio, Jari-Matti Latvala, Henning Solberg and Matthew Wilson and privateer Gareth MacHale - were given five minute penalties and a reprimand following the finish of the Rally de Portugal, the fifth round in the 2007 FIA World Rally Championship, after the event scrutineers found that the rear side windows did not comply with the homologation form of the car in terms of thickness.

Although the discrepancy was minuscule - less than half a millimetre and would have had no affect in terms of performance, Ford have accepted the judgement of the stewards and will not be appealing.

Indeed while the stewards agreed it would not have benefited the cars, it was still a breach of the regulations and as such could not go unpunished.

Ford team director Malcolm Wilson said he was 'disappointed' with the whole situation, but conceded that it their own fault.

"We were disappointed to learn from the scrutineers that the team made an error," he confirmed. "We will launch a detailed investigation into how this could have happened at M-Sport."