27 Oct 2007 -
Vouilloz wins, Peugeot is champion!
Vouilloz's team mate Enrique Garcia Ojeda has effectively claimed the IRC drivers’ title by finishing runner-up – after the duo headed into the final two stages separated by less than a second. Theoretically Vouilloz could still win the title if Peugeot contest the China Rally in two week’s time, but having wrapped up the manufacturers’ title in Switzerland this is extremely unlikely.
Vouilloz dominated the Rallye du Valais, leading from the start and winning nine stages, but he hit fuel pressure problems on the final day that allowed his Spanish team mate to close up to him, ensuring a dramatic finale.
Abarth drivers Umberto Scandola and Freddy Loix battled for third place for most of the event, but in the end it was Scandola who emerged in front – by less than a second! The Italian, on the IRC podium for the first time, won three stages on the event after an extremely solid performance over all three days.
Honda driver Luca Betti finished fifth in his all-new Honda Civic Type R R3 despite a puncture on Friday that cost him some time: the best result for the Italian and his team all season.
Abarth factory driver Andrea Navarra – who started the rally with a possibility of fighting for the title – began the final day in fifth place, but his hopes were shattered by a broken engine on SS15 today. On the opening day of the event Navarra lost around a minute with a puncture, and he struggled to find a set-up that suited him for the rest of the rally. Another retirement was local driver Antonio Galli in a Citroen C2 Super 1600 – who had run as high as fifth on the opening day. Galli stopped with a fuel pump problem on SS9.
Vouilloz's team mate Enrique Garcia Ojeda has effectively claimed the IRC drivers’ title by finishing runner-up – after the duo headed into the final two stages separated by less than a second. Theoretically Vouilloz could still win the title if Peugeot contest the China Rally in two week’s time, but having wrapped up the manufacturers’ title in Switzerland this is extremely unlikely.
Vouilloz dominated the Rallye du Valais, leading from the start and winning nine stages, but he hit fuel pressure problems on the final day that allowed his Spanish team mate to close up to him, ensuring a dramatic finale.
Abarth drivers Umberto Scandola and Freddy Loix battled for third place for most of the event, but in the end it was Scandola who emerged in front – by less than a second! The Italian, on the IRC podium for the first time, won three stages on the event after an extremely solid performance over all three days.
Honda driver Luca Betti finished fifth in his all-new Honda Civic Type R R3 despite a puncture on Friday that cost him some time: the best result for the Italian and his team all season.
Abarth factory driver Andrea Navarra – who started the rally with a possibility of fighting for the title – began the final day in fifth place, but his hopes were shattered by a broken engine on SS15 today. On the opening day of the event Navarra lost around a minute with a puncture, and he struggled to find a set-up that suited him for the rest of the rally. Another retirement was local driver Antonio Galli in a Citroen C2 Super 1600 – who had run as high as fifth on the opening day. Galli stopped with a fuel pump problem on SS9.
