Ford's Petter Solberg has expressed his frustration followi▨ng the disappointment oꦯn Rally Italia Sardegna.

Solberg was running second overall, 23.4 seconds behind eventual winner, Mikko Hꦯirvonen, when he hit a 🌳rock 1.4 kilometres from the end of the penultimate stage on Friday. The impact damaged the car's front left suspension, breaking a cross-member, and thereby ending any hopes he had of challenging for the victory.

The Norwegian was devastated and revealed that it had only happened because he �𓂃�was trying to take it carefully.

"I was happy with second and Chris [Patterson - my co-driver] and I decided we wouldn't push, so I changed my driving style accordingly," Solberg explained. "[But] in a slow left corner the front wheel hit a rock on the inside. It was quite a 𓂃shock because the rock wasn't marked in my pace notes. The impact broke the cross-member and there was nothing more I could do.

"I was driving neatly so as not to take risks and to look after my tyres. Ironically if I had been driving faster then the car would have been more sideways going into the corner, and I probab🔜ly wouldn't have hit the rock," he added.

🍰Solberg re-joined the fold on Saturday under the Rally 2 regulations, eventualℱly securing ninth place overall, and taking the maximum three bonus points in the event ending Power Stage.

"After retiring on Friday, there was only one thing on my mi🥃nd and that was winning the Power Stage," Solberg continued. "On Saturday I drove carefully because I had nothin🦩g to gain, but on Sunday I was determined to take maximum points in the Power Stage.

"I knew it would be tight between myself and Jari-Matti [Latvala - my team-mate] because he also wanted to win, and I'm happy to take something away from this weekend.

"It was possible ℱto win this rally but I made a mistake on Friday and that was disappointing for me and the tജeam.

"I'm sad for Malcolm [Wilson] and Ford. I failed and that's the hard part. I always want to do my best and this time I got it wrong, which is quite frustrating. ওIt's time to forget this rally now and think about the final round in Spain. I want to go there and win for the team."