The BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team surged into Rally Poland increasingly confident of closing the gap in the World Rally Championship (WRC) Manufacturers’ Championship with drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala in buoyant mood following their respective Greek and Italian victories.

Thousands of fans packed the stands and surrounding hillsides of the rally’s Thursday evening Super Special Stage start to watch the WRC drivers as they raced two-a-side on the loose surface of the 2.50km course. Hirvonen and co-driver Jarmo Lehtinen were piped at the post by a mere one second by current WRC leader Sebastian Loeb. However, the French rally ace’s victory was short lived as Loeb hit problems on Stage 4 on Friday morning. Unbelievably Loeb was forced to stop 2.4km into the stage and Hirvonen took full advantage pushing ahead into the lead, with Latvala fast behind holding second place.

The unexpected morning’s events have thrown the Championship wide open with the BP Ford Abu Dhabi team in strong leadership contention and its drivers proving persistence pays off.

Abu Dhabi’s junior drivers competing in the Fiesta Sporting Trophy international (FSTi) - Majed Al Shamsi, Ahmed Al Mansoori and Bader Al Jabri - displayed incredible resilience during the opening Super Special Stage after driving with the pressure of the largest audience they have witnessed in their careers behind them. The cacophony of sound from the crowd’s air horns and whistles failed to deter the Emirati drivers who performed well early on. Bad luck, however, hit Ahmed Al Mansoori who suffered power steering failure on stage four and will miss this afternoon’s stages. Al Mansoori will start in ‘Super Rally’ on Saturday with a time penalty. Meanwhile Al Shamsi and Al Jabri are in fourth and sixth places respectively.

“This is what the experience is all about,” said Ahmed Hussein, Deputy Director General, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), which is behind the BP Ford Abu Dhabi Team and Abu Dhabi Junior Drivers Programme. “It’s about our future rally stars gaining international experience and learning how to cope with the expected, and unexpected pressures that regularly confront the professionals.”

The wet Polish weather conditions created difficult driving surfaces, with slippery straights and deep mud in places. The Abu Dhabi Juniors have drawn deep on their expanding skills to avoid problems and guide their Ford Fiestas round the course. But with the Emirati drivers having limited experience of such conditions, they will have to draw on team support to succeed. With the weather forecast promising improved conditions, Abu Dhabi has everything to play for at Rally Poland.