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Organisers halted Wales Rally GB early yesterday after the death of competitor Michael Park in an accident. Peugeot confirmed that Welshman Park, co-driver for Markko Martin, was killed instantly when their 307 WRC went off the road and hit a tree on SS15 of the rally. Following the accident, SS15 and the rally's remaining two stages were cancelled, and Peugeot withdrew its second car, driven by Marcus Gronholm, as a mark of respect.
That would have handed victory in the rally and, as a result, the world championship to Citroen's Sebastian Loeb, but he deliberately checked into the final time control late, incurring a penalty which dropped him to third in the final results, behind Subaru's Petter Solberg, who inherited victory.
At the closing ceremony in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, there were no celebrations, as fans and drivers observed a minute's silence, while tributes poured in from fellow competitors. Colin McRae said Park was "one of the championship's real characters", while Malcolm Wilson, boss of Ford, where Park and Martin spent three seasons, said "rallying has lost the ultimate professional and ambassador."
That would have handed victory in the rally and, as a result, the world championship to Citroen's Sebastian Loeb, but he deliberately checked into the final time control late, incurring a penalty which dropped him to third in the final results, behind Subaru's Petter Solberg, who inherited victory.
At the closing ceremony in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, there were no celebrations, as fans and drivers observed a minute's silence, while tributes poured in from fellow competitors. Colin McRae said Park was "one of the championship's real characters", while Malcolm Wilson, boss of Ford, where Park and Martin spent three seasons, said "rallying has lost the ultimate professional and ambassador."