Q and A: Ford explains tyre gamble

Jari-Matti Latvala used a highly unusual tyre strategy to burst into a 30-second lead on the opening morning of the Monte Carlo Rally - running two studded tyres and two super soft slicks, but mounted diagonally from each other rather than the more customary front/rear or left/right arrangement. With Latvala leading Sebastien Loeb and his Ford team-mate Petter Solberg using an all-slick strategy to hold third, Ford tyre engineer George Black explains how the team came up with its plan. Q.

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