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Finland's Mikko Hirvonen - Source: Reuters -
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Ford's Mikko Hirvonen made it three wins in a row on Monday with a dominant maiden victory on home soil in the Finnish Rally.
The 29-year-old championship leader led from the second stage finishing 25.1 seconds ahead of Citreon rival and world champion Sebastien Loeb in second and Ford team mate Jari-Matti Latvala in third.
"I've been watching this rally since I was a kid, and now I've won it myself it's an absolutely fantastic feeling!" Hirvonen said on the official rally website (www.wrc.com).
"The rally went exactly like we planned. I always knew it would be close with Sebastien (Loeb). I've enjoyed myself all weekend. It's absolutely fantastic!"
Hirvonen's 10th career win puts him on 68 points, three clear of five-time champion Loeb, who had lost time at the 15th stage after hitting a pot-hole which pushed his tyre off its rim.
Ferrari's former Formula One world champion Kimi Raikkonen, making his WRC debut in Finland, retired on Sunday after rolling his Abarth Grande Punto S2000 off the road.
