Peugeot boss slams own team
Peugeot Sport principal Corrado Provera has issued a damning report on his team's performance on Rally Finland after seeing the French squad's advantage over rivals Citroen cut to just four points in the WRC manufacturers' title chase

Richard Burns' third place in Finland - and the six points it brought - was the team's lowest points haul on a rally since the season opener in Monte Carlo. Harri Rovanpera crashed on the second stage of the event, dropping him out of contention right at the start. Marcus Gronholm suffered a broken wheel bearing while leading the rally, and Burns was deprived of fighting for the win when his 206 suffered a similar problem to Gronholm on Saturday evening.
"It's clear that this rally has been totally disappointing for us," said Provera. "We came here expected to score points over Citroen and as it is we have given points away. We simply haven't been worthy of our role as reigning world champions."
Richard Burns fought tooth-and-nail with Petter Solberg over the final day of the rally, only to be pipped on the final stage. But Provera said Burns' third place was better than no points at all.
"We have handicapped ourselves on this event from the start, but our consolation once again is the performance of Richard Burns, who has been excellent throughout all three days," added the Italian.
"I preferred him to come back to us in third than taking unnecessary risk and to second. He is fighting for his own drivers' championship and our manufacturers' championship at the same time and I know he did everything possible here. I can only tell him 'well done!'"

Rally Finland: Martin cruises to victory
New Rally Oz superspecial revealed

Latest news
Gronholm hopeful protege Huttunen can secure more WRC Rally1 outings
Rally legend Marcus Gronholm is hopeful his young protege Jari Huttunen will receive another shot in the World Rally Championship’s top tier after scoring points on debut in Finland.
How Rovanpera has reignited Finland's rallying obsession
Finland may have a small population, but it has long enjoyed rallying success. Now that the nation has a new star to cheer in the form of Kalle Rovanpera, interest in the discipline is surging once again
Loeb to make WRC return at Acropolis Rally
Sebastien Loeb will return to the World Rally Championship to contest the Acropolis Rally for M-Sport in September.
WRC Finland: The Good, The Bad and an inspired Tanak
The World Rally Championship returned to rallying’s spiritual home in Finland where rally mad fans gathered to support their new home hero Kalle Rovanpera. While Rovanpera threw everything at trying to claim a home win, it was Hyundai’s Ott Tanak that delivered a stunning surprise win. Autosport reviews the highs, lows, turning points, close calls and heartbreak from Rally Finland
How Rovanpera has reignited Finland's rallying obsession
Finland may have a small population, but it has long enjoyed rallying success. Now that the nation has a new star to cheer in the form of Kalle Rovanpera, interest in the discipline is surging once again
How Tanak spoiled Rovanpera’s Finnish homecoming
Kalle Rovanpera and Toyota went into Rally Finland as overwhelming favourites but came away as runners-up to a resurgent Ott Tanak and Hyundai. While it may have dampened the homecoming party, it still moved the Finn closer to the ultimate World Rally Championship prize
Inside Hyundai’s F1-spec mobile WRC home
Hyundai is one of the World Rally Championship's big three, and has a brand-new travelling facility befitting of that status. The team invited Autosport for a behind-the-scenes look at its state-of-the-art HQ, which comes complete with all the bells and whistles you'd expect of a top Formula 1 outfit
How Rovanpera's latest Estonia masterclass left his WRC rivals stumped
After trailing Toyota team-mate Elfyn Evans for much of Rally Estonia's opening day, WRC points leader Kalle Rovanpera took advantage of a change in the weather and never looked back afterwards. Winning for a fifth time this year at the scene of his 2021 breakthrough, and with a breathtaking powerstage bonus for good measure, his advantage is already looking difficult to topple
How the WRC captures its stunning visuals
Whether it’s the mountains of Monte Carlo, the snow of Sweden or the Kenya Savannah, the World Rally Championship is able to beam some of motorsport’s most spectacular footage to television screens while operating in the harshest of environments. Autosport went behind the scenes to unearth the secrets that make this logistical challenge possible
Why WRC's Safari tour is more than just a rally
OPINION: A source of national pride in Kenya, the Safari Rally is also a sporting, cultural and economic phenomenon. And as last weekend's World Rally Championship round reminded us, it's a key driver in establishing Africa’s place in world motorsport
How Rovanpera tamed a wild Safari Rally
The Safari Rally acted as a brutal test of driver and car resolve as multiple retirements opened the path for a historic Toyota 1-2-3-4 triumph, headed by star Kalle Rovanpera. But keeping things clean was only half of the challenge, as a well-timed charge when conditions worsened allowed the Finn to take control
How Tanak turned the tables to deliver Hyundai a timely WRC triumph
The 2019 champion has been a bit-part player recently, but Ott Tanak ended a 15-month drought in fine style with a dominant win in Sardinia. On a weekend when championship leader Kalle Rovanpera struggled with cleaning the road, his Hyundai rival has made his belated arrival into the title race and given cause for those predicting a walkover from the Toyota star to pause