Stohl confident after 'special' podium

The Austrian's third place in Australia three weeks earlier had owed something to the level of attrition on the event, but Stohl had the measure of all rivals bar the dominant works Fords in the second Antipodean round.

Although he briefly lost third to Kronos Citroen's Dani Sordo after spinning on Friday afternoon and then choosing the wrong tyres for Saturday morning's wet stages, Stohl was able to comfortably reclaim the place in the second half of the rally, and then resisted Sordo's teammate Xevi Pons' late charge.

"It is a very special experience - the more so since we beat very tough opponents and were able to confirm the success in Australia," said Stohl.

"The fight versus Pons and Sordo was a real challenge. Furthermore, the Rally New Zealand is one of my most favourite events.

"But we also had a lot of luck and, in the end, Jesus wanted us to make it."

Stohl is now assured of fifth in the championship, and is only four points behind fourth placed Sordo - a margin that the OMV Peugeot driver believes he can overturn at the season finale.

"We will do our all to overtake Sordo in Wales," said Stohl. "We like the rally and are under no pressure whatsoever."

Sordo insisted that he was not disappointed to fall back to fifth by the end of the Rally New Zealand.

"It was adifficult rally for me, and I imagine that is the case for any driver coming here for the first time," he said.

"I'm very happy to have got to the end without problems in quite a good position, and I'm very happy with the notes I made with my co-driver Marc Marti. I think we've done an excellent job with an eye to the future."