Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen won the Acropolis Rally of Greece on Sunday to secure Ford's 70th world rally victory.

The Finns won the seventh round of the FIA World Rally Championship, the toughest encounter on this year's 12-event calendar, by 1min 12.9sec in their Ford Focus RS World Rally Car.

Ford World Rally Team colleagues Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila were third in another Focus RS WRC to secure maximum points in the manufacturers' series for the Blue Oval.

Between them Hirvonen and Latvala led from start to finish of the three-day event to secure Ford's seventh win in 10 seasons in Greece. It was also the 40th world rally win for M-Sport, Ford's partner in the WRC and the British-based preparation company which runs the programme. It completed a perfect weekend for Team Director Malcolm Wilson, who received an OBE in The Queen's Birthday Honours list on Saturday.

The result, the team's second consecutive victory following Latvala's success in Italy last month, rejuvenated its challenge in both championships. Ford is now just 15 points from the lead in the manufacturers' standings and second-placed Hirvonen has closed the gap in the drivers' championship to just seven points behind Sebastien Loeb, who retired on Saturday and scored no points in Greece.

Rock-strewn and abrasive gravel roads west of Athens, in addition to blistering temperatures which topped 36ºC, ensured this year's event lived up to its gruelling reputation. It was a rally of attrition and a long string of frontrunners fell by the wayside during the 15 speed tests covering 341.01km (two of the 17 tests were cancelled).

However, neither Focus RS WRC missed a beat and both drivers looked after their cars and Pirelli's Scorpion tyres superbly, mixing pace with caution in the tough conditions.

Latvala led from the start before falling to 11th when he slid into a ditch on the last special stage of the opening day. Hirvonen was promoted into the top spot but was fearful of running first in the start order yesterday, sweeping the gravel from the road surface to offer cleaner and faster conditions to his pursuers. However, as others struggled, Hirvonen stretched his lead and Latvala charged back to third. Both drove at a measured pace on Sunday's short final leg to seal a memorable weekend.

"I drove a clever rally and my plan worked perfectly, with no mistakes and no punctures," said 28-year-old Hirvonen.

"I knew that if we finished the rally without problems then we would be high in the order and that was the case. The key to success was to stay on the road and be cautious rather than drive flat out all the way. The car was amazing all weekend, especially the last stage which was so rough. I was fortunate to have such a large lead that I was able to drive steadily."

"We're back in the championship fight and the final five rallies of the year will be exciting. The next two events, in Poland and Finland, are on fast gravel roads which should suit me," he added.

Latvala admitted he was relieved to climb back onto the podium: "I thought I had lost everything on Friday evening."

"A place on the podium was never in my dreams but others made mistakes and their cars broke and that's exactly what I achieved," said the 24-year-old Finn. "My strategy yesterday was to save the tyres, save the car and drive round the rocks and it paid off. This rally required respect and the result is so important for me and the team from the championship perspective."

Abu Dhabi's Khalid Al Qassimi and Michael Orr finished sixth in the team's third Focus RS WRC, a career best result for the 37-year-old Emirati driver.

John Fleming, Chairman and CEO of Ford of Europe, received the manufacturers' trophy on the podium: "Rallies don't come any tougher than the Acropolis and to win the most demanding round of the WRC for the seventh time in 10 years is a fantastic achievement."

Rally Poland returns to the championship for the first time since 1973 as round eight of the series. The fast gravel event is based in Mikolajki and takes place 25-28 June.