LEON, Mexico, 16 March 2004 — Estonian Markko Martin won the Mexico Rally on Sunday, comfortably holding his overnight lead in the race which had been his to lose after nearest rival Carlos Sainz crashed during the 13th stage.
Martin, who was runner up in the season’s opening rally in Monte Carlo, finished 42.5 seconds ahead of his Belgian team mate Francois Duval, with Citroen driver Sainz in third more than a minute and 20 seconds adrift.
Martin climbed to second place in the championship standings equal on points with France’s Citroen driver Sebastien Loeb, who won the opening two rallies in Monte Carlo and Sweden but was forced to retire in Mexico.
Sainz, in second place overnight and less than 15 seconds behind, crashed in Sunday’s 13th stage rolling his car onto its left hand side. The twice world champion was able to complete the stage but left Martin in the clear.
The accident gave Ford the first two slots on the leadership board, which they held for the final two stages of the Mexico Rally, the first FIA international event in the Latin America nation. Second-placed Duval, the youngest driver in the championship at 23, said he was happy with the result.
Norwegian world champion Petter Solberg, who has dominated most of the individual stages on the gravel roads but received a five minute 40 second penalty in Friday’s first leg, ended in fourth place. Without the penalty, Solberg would have won the rally handsomely. Subaru driver Solberg won all of Saturday’s stages and half of Friday’s. But he just failed to grab a place on the podium.
Early race leader Loeb retired in the middle of Saturday’s leg because his Citroen Xsara was leaking too much oil after damaging the car’s sump. Loeb had been aiming to become the first driver in history to win the first three rallies of the season following his victories in Monte Carlo and Sweden.
