rally formally known automobile rallying race held days january january operated france race world rally championship season contested stages length kilometres miles won race finished second works car finishing ford driving new car development took control race outset winning stages day stages following days teammate kept pressure winning stages stage extended lead seconds nearly seconds stage legs won wasn saturday afternoon second run day stages drivers effectively challenge days race consisted duel drove factory model ford factory completed stage fourth place took position stage held friday saturday morning stages stage saturday afternoon retook fourth regained stage lost following stage won final stage sunday morning finished race fourth position longer based nearby held recent years event visited final special stage short run rest time spent hundreds kilometres north region locations visited 1990s level driver driven roads event marked return nighttime stages win fourth ninth sixth time achieved podium position brought podium finishes earned points points position points fourth fifth place points finishers earned maximum eighteen points finish placed second points placing points report background rally round world rally championship season taking week break race season great_britain held days thursday january sunday january pressure president criticism running chaotic route rally automobile club rally organisers chose race away roads departments region instead rally set away stages held stages brand new rally places saint jean saint martial saint saint sur route played host stages 1990s earlier driving familiar roads competed late 1990s spectators pleased rally returned region drivers team bosses governing body enthusiastic total distance kilometres miles stages totalled competitive shorter regulatory minimum special stages drivers hoped rally taking place higher altitudes conditions freezing wind blowing north produce ice snow ground making exciting event rain thursday evening came fruition prevailing weather clear dry unhappy weekend weather forecast following reconnaissance run said snow walls sides road like old days stages brilliant dry places makes interesting roads south corners service park smaller production world rally championship junior rally championship categories fewer entries competitors badly located poorly run commercial director said service area like car boot sale absent season spend thirteen months concentrating preparing new vehicle returned ready début rally dominated championship recent years despite age incredibly reliable replaced model longer production mechanical components engine transmission suspension similar came chassis longer millimetres inches respectively meant rules widened higher weight distribution fine tuned including raising moving seats negative effect reducing drivers visibility wing mirrors doors test drivers reported car handled confident successful concerned beat ford focus won manufacturers title focus addition undergone developments winter break testing showed faster outgoing knew performance race car good testing rally asked don know ford team number driver wary got thousands clock running board waiting ready rally mexico march team knew version performed poorly previous season match focus added fact cars equipped unfamiliar tyres decided supply teams hoping earn points race crews registered compete rally tier drivers entered rookie driven starting order leg priority drivers order final classification season followed drivers decided previous season champion set followed favourites win won times row won worries physically fit win months earlier broken left shoulder mountain accident chance compete season told operations arm definitely sat admitted stressed start wondered arm okay okay testing long stages asked answer don know race following year absence nighttime run stages special stages event held thursday night night stages scheduled rally day stopped race began roads wet slippery discussing day weather said expected stages night difficult added hope time right tyres little bit wrong year easy hope manage right time earlier day crews driven stage large number fans spectators route stopped early crews including driver forced carry minute testing necessary changes cars main roads crews registered rally seven actually competed driving failed start event stage rally started central european time utc thursday evening kilometres miles winding route led crews saint jean col taking admitted driving stage night said interesting everybody performed teammate spoke challenges facing dark gets little bit narrow tend careful turn speed corners obviously listen absolutely crucial thing familiar driving nighttime stages french rally championship said dark drive like passes start fastest stage think big moments tonight took road despite limited visibility ride position roads set pace time teammate driver able pace kilometres hour miles hour point route finished second place taking place stage ford crew finished stage run col held lead completing proved faster stage finishing time faster end leg worries new perform forgotten beaten competition wide margin seconds ahead teammate seconds minute lead stages leg friday totalling competitive stage starting route long finished previous leg provisional classification determined starting order drivers started reverse order followed remaining drivers order classification driving crew damp roads set time teammates completed leg minute quicker snow ice roads proved quick surfaces season fastest stage set time wide margin ahead placed times respectively said visibly shaken losing stage experienced teammate lost seconds tyres hard said start went cold wasn good rhythm reached dry parts wasn confident didn want big risks morning drivers problems tyre selection stage including trying new car outfitted found hard said find feeling grip felt tyre compound soft unimpressed time completed stage ninth time worse putting 12th position problems tyres finished fourth time crew troubles stage transmission failed retire rally teammates set good time stage finished fifth place sixth end stage podium positions unchanged time difference decreased seven seconds gap place fourth minute dropped contention points ninth place overall eighth taken privately entered stages got underway crews chance change tyres set suitable compound new rule allowed set away main minutes cars necessary maintenance carried long parts tools fuel tyres vehicle major relief previous stage car developed issue hydraulic steering wheel meant resort shifting gears manually technicians unsure occurred hoping repairs car got won uneventful stage tenth second ahead quicker stalled start line unable lost seconds midday break lead big battle cars moment good news team easier bit deal wit said try position afternoon easy fast second lead complaining good thing win rally drive don like stage saint stage morning roads dried afternoon stop crews having accidents route spun went corner crashed car stone wall house continued damaged hanging loose lost brakes completely explained absolutely brakes lucky finish nearly despite difficulties managed finish stage 10th position stage 8th overall dry roads meant drivers able complete stage faster morning faster time stage narrow stretch route col brake corner right time collided fence able carry driving driver door damaged despite accident won stage increased overall gap seconds nearly seconds repeat run stages closed day won stage took stage end leg driving arm shoulder great pain worked night try address problems leg began early saturday morning following friday stages seconds ahead stage day route held darkness finished second suffered setback crashed car stalled cost seconds finished stage ninth retained fourth place standing event classifications surprise result broke run fastest non driver rally set time went road ditch entered corners stage brother similar problem corner quick reactions able control car drove got track finished seventeenth place finished joint fifth ran slowest time stage reduced speed tyres went cold bit faster start stage saw splits times tried slow explained hard tyres slow tyres cool lose grip end tricky cold tyres tried slow end stage tricky didn want risks stage won time slower finished second lost time stage finishing eighth place seconds slower reduced gap overall classifications seconds worst stage finished 10th position midday service stages morning slow run resulted taking fourth place provisional classification tenths second stage retook fourth placed position winning stage time beating seconds considering ordinary drove pull finger said regained fourth place position seconds ahead slow seconds slower teammate cut time seconds problem car going said stage hopefully okay stage mountains travelling super special stage drivers going time gain higher positions classifications slow extended lead standings seconds finishing fourth position time bad stage finished stage ninth fastest road good chance retake fourth position won stage setting pace time ran seconds slower finished second chance earn points position eighth position set score point middle second leg seconds going stage pushed hard drove loose gravel lost control slid car end stone wall impact caused damage car roll cage forced retire rally end attempt earn points final stage rally took place sunday morning conducting entire race france organisers paid lip service holding super special stage involved laps total distance cars road time starting different points track interfere repairs adjustments tyre changes carried saturday night ahead drive coast decision tyres fit cars taken teams hands ordered cars drive snow tyres teams allocated dry weather decision described absurd cars ended drifting corners lead times far ahead interest stage tenths second difference fourth place position points fifth placed position points fourth place completed stage admitted small mistakes chris drives hope best drove opposite stage watching beat complete stage tenth second quicker won stage fourth place rally post race delighted win saying victory great moment like start season like points important feeling good car fast arm better perfect moment pleased results said fantastic start team crews fantastic chief sure result huge team effort event member team come common goal think wonderful reward come world championship car making competition début produces results like fastest times aren models dominated scored finish race presence felt international début time car finished second place début rally years ago came second new delta won thirds stages rally like time won group categories race won wheel drive category came wheel drive super category disappointed race admitting thought able beat having gearbox tyre problems leg settled place stayed position rally conclusion got wrong tyre choice approved early week explained thought rain harder tyres life easier unhappy team technical director said having marcus finish disappointing easier understand didn expect slower car performance edge year issues tyres rally switched following season shortest break seasons seen crews time test new compounds problems protect breaking quickly drivers learned look driving way new brand meant temperature ended running slower finished rally sixth place teammate problem fighting final half rally finished fourth place massive battle fun battle guys said congratulated drivers non manufacturer cars finished seventh eighth place receive drivers points consequence final positions started season leading points second points position points point fourteenth placed position wilson finished rally quicker nominated earn points manufacturer earned points place points points clear second place eighteen points win statistics crew names able score points manufacturer entry list special stages classifications championship standings event
2007 Monte Carlo Rally