ROBERT Ceen, from Welland near Malvern, suffered heartbreak when he retired within sight of the finish on the Network Q Rally of Great Britain which finished in Cardiff last night.
The 46-year-old Worcestershire driver was navigated by Malvern's Alistair Douglas in the four-day, 1,000-mile event won by out-going world champion Marcus Gronholm. He finished over two minutes ahead of Peugeot team-mate and fellow Finn Harri Rovanpera.
Richard Burns (Subaru) finished third but won his maiden FIA World Rally Championship crown -- the first Englishman ever to win the prestigious title.
Ceen, driving a Subaru Impreza, survived an off-road excursion into the bushes on stage 14 losing them a few seconds, but ultimately retired on the penultimate stage when he lost control and ended in a ditch when placed 31st.
"We were 29th after the first four stages but then had to do two stages with a broken differential which dropped us to 46th," commented Ceen. "We had fought back to break inside the top 30 so to retire so close to the finish is doubly disappointing."
Theo Bengry, from Leominster, and Dilwyn's Les Forsbrook, retired their Subaru Impreza on stage seven when crashing out of 48th place in the fog.
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