Four different drivers led the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship category on Repco Rally Australia, but in the end it was Czech Republic driver Martin Prokop who took the win, his first of the P-WRC season, by 42.2 seconds.

The Mitsubishi Lancer driver recovered from an early 20 second time loss, to take the lead half way through the 35 stage event and gradually increase his advantage through today''s final 10 stages.

The win caps off a remarkable four weeks in the career of the 26-year old, after he was crowned FIA Junior World Rally Champion in Finland last month. “I am really happy to win here, especially after losing twenty seconds on Friday and having to fight back," said Prokop. "It’s been a great rally and I’ve really enjoyed it. I felt very confident coming here after winning the Junior World Rally title in Finland and that confidence gave me the speed I needed to win.”

Second place went to Kiwi driver Richard Mason, driving a Subaru Impreza. He said: "It’s a pretty good result for us, especially as the only person in front is a world champion! I’ve really enjoyed competing in the P-WRC and I’ll be back going Rally New Zealand next year, you can count on that. I’d also like to try and come across to Europe and do some new rallies too.”

Three time FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Champion and current series leader Cody Crocker was third in another Subaru Impreza. “This has been a dream come true," said the Australian. "Our target this year was to compete on Rally Australia and we’re really wrapped with the result. Doing the P-WRC is a goal of mine and I will definitely be back next year - doing some rallies, but hopefully the whole championship.”

However the positions of the top three drivers were only part of the Production story in Australia. Despite his winning effort, Prokop can no longer win the P-WRC title, after amazing drama on the final stage when fourth placed Toshi Arai stopped with a transmission problem. His retirement elevated Portugal''s Armindo Araujo up into fourth - scoring the five points he needs to take an unassailable 11 point lead in the provisional P-WRC championship.

The provisional championship standings are now subject to the outcome of an appeal by the Barwa Rally Team regarding the exclusion of Nasser Al-Attiyah from the results of the Acropolis Rally of Greece. If the International Court of Appeal overturns the exclusion then it will put Al-Attiyah and Araujo almost level on points again. With Araujo now having scored his maximum six results, Al-Attiyah will need to score only point from the final round in Rally GB to become champion.

At the end of the final stage Araujo almost couldn’t believe the last minute turnaround. He said: “It was a very tough rally for us and full of problems. I tried my best on Friday and Saturday but I just couldn''t keep the rhythm of the guys in front. Then Toshi caught us yesterday evening and after the first stage today I knew that I couldn''t catch him. I was already with my head in Wales when two kilometres before the end of the last stage I saw Toshi stopped by the side of the road. Now we are provisional champions and we have just to wait for the result of the appeal and see what happens.

sources

http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=901&id=5999&desc=Prokop the P-WRC winner in Australia but Araujo is provisional champion

www.martinprokop.com