While Jari-Matti Latvala led the way with the Stobart VK M-Sport Ford with a fine third place finish in Rally Ireland, the penultimate round of the World Rally Championship was good for team-mate Matthew Wilson as well.

Wilson and co-driver Michael Orr showed a consistent pace throughout the event bringing it home in the points for the second consecutive rally with a well earned seventh place.

“It is a fantastic feeling to get to the end of this rally which has been a real race of attrition," Wilson explained. "Some of my times over the weekend could have been better but when things were working well I posted some good times."

"It was such a difficult event and I was always concentrating on getting to the finish and not making any major mistakes; and its mega to claim more driver points.”

Things were a little tougher for Henning Solberg however. After retiring from day one Solberg and substitute co-driver for this event, Göran Bergsten, finished up 16th and more importantly, sixth in the manufacturer standings.

Sixth place was the highest running position Solberg has ever experienced on tarmac when he took the place on stage four on Friday. The Norwegian is yet to score a point on tarmac and things were looking very positive until the second run when an impact with a rock on the apex of a medium corner spat him across the road and down an embankment.

Fortunately his Stobart Ford Focus RS WRC06 was able to re-enter day wo under SupeRally regulations and, as a result, Solberg was able to score three manufacturer points for his team despite finishing 16th overall.

“This has been a difficult weekend for me but to claim some manufacturer points and help move the team up to third makes it worthwhile," Solberg said. "We struggled in the muddy conditions but when the grip was constant I actually set some pretty good times and this has probably been my best feeling with the car on tarmac. Göran has done a fantastic job here but after my mistake on Friday we were really just cruising to the finish."

Stobart Team Principal Malcolm Wilson was naturally delighted with Latvala's first podium position as well as his son's result.

“This is the best ever result for a Stobart car and a dominating performance by Jari on tarmac," he began. "He approached this rally in a meticulous manner and never lost his focus on the extremely demanding stages."

"Matthew has also impressed me and has again scored more driver points on an event where many other experienced drivers made mistakes," he concluded.