"This has been the best rally of the season so far," said 28-year-old Hirvonen.  "The roads here are fast and narrow and the crowds provided a superb atmosphere.  It's the first time I have won two consecutive rallies and it has put me into the lead of the championship ahead of my home rally in Finland.  The weekend was perfect from start to finish.  After Loeb's mistake on Friday, I thought I might have an easy drive but it wasn't to be.  I had to drive flat out yesterday to stay ahead and it's a fantastic feeling to win after such a great fight.”

For the second consecutive event, Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena retired their Citroen Total C4, after hitting a tree stump on the third stage. They restarted under SupeRally rules and were classified seventh.
Despite also losing Sébastien Ogier in his Citroen Junior Team C4 WRC with an engine problem, the French car-maker has increased its lead in the Manufacturers title race to 17 points over Ford.

Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila were on course to make it a Ford 1-2 until the final 2.50 stage. He explained; "It was my mistake," admitted a distraught Latvala.  "I wasn't driving too quickly but I turned into the bend too early and clipped an oil barrel which was full of sand.  The impact broke the steering and I couldn't turn into the next bend and hit the barrier on the opposite side of the road.  I've let down the team and damaged Ford's dream of winning the manufacturers' title this year."

He and his co-driver tried to push the car to the finish of the stage and completed a whole lap before being forced to stop and retire. Petter Solberg and Welshman Phil Mills made the start after a race against time to get their independently entered Citroen Xsara repaired after substantial damage on the previous round in Greece. They were rewarded with fourth pace, 18.6 seconds behind Petter’s older brother.

Cumbria’s Matthew Wilson and Scott Martin in the second Stobart Focus were fifth, helping their team to hold on to third place in the Manufactures championship. Wilson’s performance was hampered to an extent by a troublesome back injury.

Citroen Junior Team members Conrad Rautenbach – with Lancashire’s Daniel Barritt - and Evegny Novikov were eighth and ninth respectively after complying with Citroen’s request to allow Loeb to move up into seventh place and thereby claim manufacturer’s points.

 Dutchman Kevin Abbring became the youngest winner of a round of the FIA Junior World Rally Championship today when at 20 years and 159 days old he won the category in his Renault Clio R3. Despite retiring the J-WRC is still led by Michal Kosciuszko in his Suzuki.

Youngster Tom Cave from Aberdovey was leading Class N3 until head gasket failure. He re-started under SupeRally rules and finished seventh in class and 31st overall.

In the league tables of fastest stage times Loeb won five, Hirvonen four, Latvala three, Henning and Solberg two each, Dani Sordo and Sébastien Ogier with one each. All 18 stages ran.
Rally Poland can trace its origins back to 1921.It was the events first appearance in the WRC since the inaugural championship in 1973. More than 200,000 rally followers welcomed its return by swamping the picturesque Mazurian Lake District, 250km from Warsaw in the north-east of the country to watch 352 kilometres of competitive driving over 18 narrow, sandy and blisteringly fast gravel roads, where average speeds topped 129.44 kph

From 48 starters there were 34 classified finishers.

For news and results from the Rally of Poland, the eighth event in the 12-round 2009 FIA World Rally Championship, visit: http: http://www.rallypoland.pl

For all the latest news, video clips, audio, etc, from the FIA World Rally Championship go to; http://www.wrc.com

WRC Manufacturer Team websites;

BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team; http://www.bpfordwrc.com

Citroën Total World Rally Team; http://www.citroen-wrc.com

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team; http://www.stobartmotorsport.com

Munchi’s Ford World Rally Team: http://www.villagraracing.com.ar

Other WRC websites;

Pirelli - WRC; http://www.pirellityre.com/web/motorsport/rally/wrc/default.page

The next and ninth round of the FIA WRC is Neste Rally Finland, 30th July to 2nd August.
For news; http://www.nesteoilrallyfinland.fi/

The 12th and final round of the 2009 FIA World Rally Championship is Wales Rally GB starting in Cardiff on Thursday 22nd October.

Ends.