Gronholm takes world title in relaxed style

Marcus Gronholm admitted he will struggle to motivate himself for the final two rounds of the World Rally Championship after sealing his second title here yesterday.

The Finn won Rally of New Zealand and the championship in style as his main title rivals Colin McRae and Richard Burns crashed out. He said: "It has been a fantastic year. This championship was a lot easier than the one I won in 2000 because then I had to fight all the way to the final round. The difference has been a higher level of consistency for me – I've only retired from one event this year if you don't count the exclusion from Argentina [for technical infringements].

"I am very happy. I am surprised we've got the title so soon. When Richard was leading yesterday I thought I would have to wait until Australia, but from this morning I thought it was possible. I didn't feel nervous at all, I felt very relaxed.

"Now that I've won the championship it will be hard to find the extra motivation on the last two events, but I'd still like to win them. Of course Richard Burns would like to do the same so maybe that's my motivation."

Gronholm moved to an uncatchable 67 points in the drivers' race with this win, 33 ahead of his nearest challenger, and team-mate Burns.

Gronholm's co-driver Timo Rautiainen said: "It's quite a relief that the championship battle is over at last. But we have to worry about the final two rounds of the season now, and already think about next year."

After the Englishman's exit, Frenchman Gilles Panizzi became the only driver who could stop Gronholm. He had to win here, and then the Australian and British events and hope his team-mate finished outside the top three, but the 34-year-old produced another dominant display on the final day to wrap up the title.

Peugeot's eighth maximum-points haul from 12 events was also more than enough to secure the team's third successive manufacturers' title. Peugeot's sporting director Corrado Provera said: "We had a target this year to win the manufacturers' championship and to make one of drivers champion as well. Now we have both in our pockets. I think that Marcus deserves it and also that Peugeot deserves it."

Gronholm had refused to ease off on the final day as he looked to secure victory and set the pace on all eight stages in the leg. He was also quickest on the final four stages of the penultimate leg following Burns' exit from the event as he demonstrated his dominance on gravel roads, finishing the 26-stage event 3min minutes 47.6sec ahead of second-placed fellow Finn Harri Rovanpera.