Burns must win and hope

Burns en route to second place in Australia

Richard Burns has faced up to the daunting challenge that only a win in Rally GB at the end of the month will keep alive his World Rally Championship hopes.

The Subaru driver finished second behind Marcus Gronholm in the controversial Rally Australia, following Tommi Makinen's disqualification - but that left the Briton even further behind in the quest for his first title.

Burns is only too aware that he must win Rally GB and hope his Finnish rival fails to collect a point.

He said: "The championship remains a possibility, although that is now not just down to me winning alone."

After finishing third in Australia behind Mitsubishi's Makinen and Gronholm, Burns lay seven points behind Gronholm going into Rally GB in Wales which runs from 23-26 November.

But Makinen's disqualification for using an illegal turbocharger on his race-winning car in Australia meant that compatriot Gronholm inherited first place and 10 points, rather than six for second.

Disqualification

The disqualification also left Burns with six points, which widened the gap between him and the leader by a further two points.

"It is of course a shame that today didn't unfold any better," Burns conceded.

"But as I have said all event, the result should be decided on the stages rather than other factors having a bearing on the outcome."

Even if Gronholm fails to score in the British rally, Burns needs to win the event in order to take the championship by a single point.

If Burns wins Rally GB and picks up 10 points, Gronholm could still secure the title by picking up one point for sixth.

That would leave the Finn and the Briton level on points with the same number of race wins, but Gronholm would still take the title by virtue of a greater number of second-place finishes.

Peugeot, meanwhile, should secure the manufacturers' title at Rally GB, with nearest challengers Ford needing at least a one-two from drivers Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz to give them any chance of overhauling the French team.