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| Championship Standings |
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2002 Championship
After 14 of 14 Rounds |
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| Drivers Points |
| 1 |
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Marcus Gronholm |
77 |
| 2 |
 |
Petter Solberg |
37 |
| 3 |
 |
Carlos Sainz |
36 |
| 4 |
 |
Colin McRae |
35 |
| 5 |
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Richard Burns |
34 |
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Full Details... |
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| Manufacturers Points |
| 1 |
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Peugeot |
165 |
| 2 |
 |
Ford |
104 |
| 3 |
 |
Subaru |
67 |
| 4 |
 |
Hyundai |
10 |
| 5 |
 |
Skoda |
9 |
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Full Details... |
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2002|NEWS
NETWORK Q RALLY OF GREAT BRITAIN |
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MORE POINTS TO CONCLUDE ANOTHER TITLE-WINNING YEAR*
Manufacturer: Peugeot
Press Release Type: Event WrapPeugeot 206 WRC driver Harri Rovanperä has put in a gutsy performance to claim seventh overall on the final round of the FIA World Rally Championship, the Rally of Great Britain, which finished this afternoon in Cardiff.
The Finn and navigator Risto Pietilainen started today's four long stages outside of the top 10, but third fastest time on the longest test of the event, Resolfen (55km), catapulted them into a battle for the final few manufacturers' points of the season. Harri suffered one scare when he lost hydraulic pressure in his car's differentials for the penultimate stage, but he powered through the closing test to bag seventh by one tenth of a second, and score two manufacturers' points for Peugeot, which had already secured the makes' and drivers' crowns* for this season long before this event.
Harri said: "I can't remember a rally where we've had to fight so hard. We had a few little niggles that just cost us a lot of time, like the wheel bearing yesterday and the hydraulics this morning. After all of that, I'm glad to come through and take something back for the whole team. It's been a long year and Peugeot has scored a lot of success, but we know we have to keep working for 2003."
Peugeot's main hopes had rested squarely on the shoulders of Richard Burns this morning and for a while, it looked as though the outgoing world champion would be able to notch up yet another podium finish as he barged past Carlos Sainz into third on the day's first stage. But on the opening run through Margam Park, Richard was caught out under braking for a tricky corner and he put the rear of his car off the road and down a steep bank. Unfortunately, he was unable to regain the road, so he had to retire from his home round of the series.
Richard said: "I'm obviously disappointed, but we were trying hard and I just got my braking point slightly wrong. It's a sad way to end the season and I'm still looking for that first win for Peugeot, but I'm sure it's going to come soon. We start testing soon for next season and hopefully we won't have to wait too long before we get our first victory in the 206."
Peugeot's other remaining 206 WRC finished 11th in the hands of Gilles Panizzi, even though the Frenchman had lost time with some brake problems this morning.
Peugeot Total Team Director Corrado Provera said: "This has been a disappointing event for the team but it cannot influence or affect what we have achieved this year. We have had an extraordinary season. But this result is confirmation of what we have always been saying - that we must continue to work at this level if we are to have the same successes again, or improve on them. I am pleased, though, for Harri, who drove very hard for us and deserved to score his points. Despite the technical problems that he has had on this rally, he never gave up. The satisfaction here is small but acceptable."
Unlike their counterparts in Formula 1, the FIA World Rally Championship stars and teams don't get to enjoy much of a winter break. Testing will resume within a matter of days in preparation for the opening round of the 2003 season, the Monte Carlo Rally. Peugeot's 206 WRC has suffered poor luck there for the last three years, so the team will redouble its efforts to ensure that it makes as good a start as possible to its defence of both the manufacturers' and drivers' titles*.
* Subject to the official publication of the results by the F.I.A. Click here for a printable version of this news Item
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