Boosted Falcon

Ford driver Mikko Hirvonen secured victory in the Acropolis Rally of Greece on Sunday, reducing Sebastien Loeb's World Rally Championship lead to seven points.

Privateer entrant Petter Solberg had been a threat to Hirvonen, but he retired due to broken suspension on Saturday, and the BP Ford team leader was eventually left in a commanding position.

Hirvonen was able to cruise to victory - his first of the year - on the final day, after Dani Sordo also suffered a suspension break, while rookie Sebastien Ogier achieved a brilliant second place in his Citroen Junior Team car.

With Ogier not registered to score points, the BP Ford squad managed 18, thanks to Hirvonen's win and Jari-Matti Latvala's battle back from a mistake on Friday to take third place.

Federico Villagra came home fourth in the Munchi's Ford machine, with Ogier's team-mate Conrad Rautenbach fifth and Khalid Al Qassimi sixth for BP Ford.

Mads Ostberg was seventh in a Subaru, while Lambros Athanassoulas won the Production fight for Skoda, ahead of Nasser Al-Attiyah, who was ninth overall. Mitsubishi's Armindo Araujo completed the top ten.

It was a dreadful outing for the Citroen Total team. Prior to the suspension break for Sordo, who had been battling Hirvonen for the lead, champion Loeb had a massive accident whilst running in third place.

Acropolis Rally of Greece: Final Positions (Top 10)
Pos. Driver, Car, Time/Gap
1. Mikko Hirvonen, Ford, 4hrs09:42.5
2. Sebastien Ogier, Citroen, +1:12.9
3. Jari-Matti Latvala, Ford, +1:45.0
4. Federico Villagra, Ford, +3:48.3
5. Conrad Rautenbach, Citroen, +3:59.8
6. Khalid Al Qassimi, Ford, +7:04.3
7. Mads Ostberg, Subaru, +12:24.9
8. Lambros Athanassoulas, Skoda, +12:47.6
9. Nasser Al-Attiyah, Subaru, +13:09.9
10. Armindo Araujo, Mitsubishi, +15:04.5