2008 Rally México

The event

The rally consisted of 20 special stages, one of which was cancelled due to safety reasons, as there were too many spectators gathered around the road.{{cite news |access-date=2008-03-02 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080305154302/http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/news/160343-0/rally_mexico_ss18_-_cancelled.html| archive-date= 5 March 2008 | url-status= live}} Also five of the stages were Super Special Stages. Some of the sections were placed as high as 2700 meters over sea level, causing significant engine power loss due to lower air pressure.

|access-date=2008-03-02 |access-date=2008-03-02 |access-date=2008-03-02 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080305203329/http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/news/160329-0/latvala_out_to_save_his_podium.html| archive-date= 5 March 2008 | url-status= live}} Subaru's Chris Atkinson finished second after constant pace placing him in the top eight on every stage, achieving the best result in his career so far. Fourth overall was Mikko Hirvonen who lost large amounts of time after a few punctures and having to change a wheel in his Ford Focus RS WRC 07.{{cite news |access-date=2008-03-02 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080305144219/http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/news/160325-1/rally_reactions_rally_mexico_-_day_2.html| archive-date= 5 March 2008 | url-status= live}} Henning Solberg lost his battle for fourth with Hirvonen and had to settle for fifth after damaging his damper.{{cite web |access-date=2008-03-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080304171515/http://www.ewrc-results.com/results_main.php?event=151&stage=2970&category=&group= |archive-date=4 March 2008 |url-status=dead |access-date=2008-03-02 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080305002656/http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/news/160296-0/news_flash_petter_out.html| archive-date= 5 March 2008 | url-status= live}} Citroën's number two, Daniel Sordo, came back into the fight after breaking the suspension in his C4 WRC and retiring too,{{cite news |access-date=2008-03-02

Suzuki drivers suffered from mechanical problems during the first day and both Toni Gardemeister and Per-Gunnar Andersson had to retire from the rally for good.{{cite news |access-date=2008-03-02 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080305214835/http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/news/160240-0/news_flash_p-g_retires.html| archive-date= 5 March 2008 | url-status= live}}{{cite news |access-date=2008-03-02 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080305214840/http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/news/160242-0/news_flash_galli_gardemeister_join_retirees.html| archive-date= 5 March 2008 | url-status= live}} Also Stobart's Gigi Galli wasn't able to finish the event - the Italian had to retire from top-eight position after breaking the suspension in his Ford Focus.{{cite news |access-date=2008-03-02 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080305120235/http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/news/160272-0/galli_very_disappointed_to_retire.html| archive-date= 5 March 2008 | url-status= live}}

The top eight was followed by the JWRC podium - Frenchman Sebastien Ogier in Citroën C2 S1600, Estonian Jaan Mölder and Pole Michał Kościuszko, both in Suzuki Swifts S1600.

Result change

Mexican Ricardo Triviño was disqualified during the second day of the event for using non-homologated driving gloves; he was able to complete the rally after deciding to appeal his case to higher jurisdiction. His request was later rejected and Triviño was excluded from the event, which resulted in Sebastien Ogier, WRC debutant, to score one point in drivers' championship.{{cite news |access-date=2008-03-20 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080323053823/http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/news/161011-0/rally_mexico_result_revised.html| archive-date= 23 March 2008 | url-status= live}} It was the first time in World Rally history that JWRC driver driving Super 1600 front-wheel drive rally car scored points in overall classification.{{cite news |access-date=2008-03-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080325180824/http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=101&id=689&desc=Amended%20Mexico%20result%20makes%20Ogier%20a%20record%20breaker |archive-date=25 March 2008 |url-status=dead

Results

Special stages

All dates and times are CST (UTC-6).

Footnotes

• A all times local

Championship standings after the event

Drivers' championship

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Manufacturers' championship

Junior championship

References