Finland's Mikko Hirvonen, driving a Ford Focus, won the Rally of Poland race on Sunday, crossing the line 1min 10sec clear of Spaniard Dani Sordo's Citroen C4 to go top of the world championship standings.

Norway's Henning Solberg was third in another Ford Focus 2min 5 sec off the pace at a new race venue in Mikolajki.

Hirvonen's fellow Ford Focus driven by Finn Jari-Mati Latvala, who stood second overnight, earlier crashed out after he struck a barrel on a right-hand corner and drove into a metal barrier, damaging his front suspension.

Hirvonen's second race win on the trot after the Acropolis Rally of Greece earlier this month and ninth of his career propelled him into a one-point advantage over previous championship leader Sebastien Loeb, who is chasing a sixth straight overall title this season.

Citroen's Loeb gave himself too much to do as he embarked upon the five specials of the closing day over 19 minutes off the lead in 13th place, having smashed his car into a tree stump early on Friday.

Hirvonen, 28, and Loeb, who finished in seventh spot, will now battle to the wire in a thrilling end to the campaign with just four races remaining.

The next instalment is in Hirvonen's homeland at the end of next month.

Thousands of fans turned out in warm and sunny weather to cheer Hirvonen to the finish as he adroitly negotiated the 2.5km final Super Special.

AFP

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