LEDBURY co-driver Michael Park and Estonian driver Markko Martin have become only the third non-Nordic drivers to win the Rally Finland in the event's 53-year history.

The 27-year-old Estonian and his 37-year-old co-driver powered their Ford Focus RS World Rally Car to victory on this ninth round of the FIA World Rally Championship by 58.9sec to claim their second world rally success in the last four events.

This most spectacular round of the championship is also the most specialised event in the series, with Nordic drivers dominating in the past on the fast, snake-like gravel roads and huge jumps which require precision driving and much bravery.

However, Martin and Park took the lead in the first few kilometres and saw off the challenge of Finland's defending world champion, Marcus Grnholm, who was chasing a fourth consecutive victory on his home rally. It is the first time a Finnish driver has not been on the podium since 1959 and the first time ever that a Finn has not finished in the top five.

The victory promoted the Ford BP drivers to fifth in the championship standings, just 12 points from the lead with five rounds remaining. It also marked the 200th world rally triumph for French tyre company Michelin, whose rubber propelled the pair's Focus RS to victory on the Acropolis Rally in June.

The duo began the third and final leg of the 1727.60km rally with a lead of more than 73 seconds and were able to cruise through the final six speed tests in the sunshine, claiming another stage victory to take their total for the rally to eight from 23 tests.

Next round, round 10 of the 14-rally championship, and the final non-European rally of the season is when the Western Australian capital of Perth hosts the Rally Australia on September 4-7.