Mikko Hirvonen claimed his first victory in the FIA World Rally Championship driving for Citroen following a faultless performance on the Rally de Portugal.

The Finn’s victory alongside co-driver and fellow countryman Jarmo Lehtinen means he now heads Citroen teammate Sebastien Loeb by nine points in the race for the WRC drivers’ title.

Dani Sordo won the event-closing power stage in the Banbury-based Prodrive’s Mini John Cooper Works WRC.

But delays on Thursday night and a puncture on yesterday’s penultimate run, caused when he spun into a bank, restricted him to 12th.