Finland's Mikko Hirvonen won the Rally of Italy on Sunday in the absence of Citroen team mate and nine-times world champion Sebastien Loeb. Was Hirvonen's first victory for Citroen and 15th of his career.

Frenchman Loeb hit rocks and retired on Friday on the first full day of the rally in Sardinia, the penultimate round of the championship and first event since he retained his title in France earlier this month.
 
Russian Evgeny Novikov was second, one minute 20 seconds behind, with Estonian Ott Tanak third, both in privately-entered Fords.

Result from the 2012 Rally of Italy

1 Mikko Hirvonen (Finland) Citroen 3hr23min54.900
2 Evgeny Novikov (Russia) Ford +01min20.6
3 Ott Taenak (Estonia) Ford +02min21.1
4 Mads Ostberg (Norway) Ford +03min42.9
5 Sebastien Ogier (France) Skoda +04min27.5
6 Chris Atkinson (Australia) Mini +05min22.2
7 Andreas Mikkelsen (Norway) Skoda +06min12.5
8 Martin Prokop (Czech Republic) Ford +09min29.3
9 Petter Solberg (Norway) Ford +09min52.3
10 Luca Pedersoli (Italy) Citroen +20min35.6

Drivers and Constructor points after Rally of Italy

1 Sebastien Loeb (France) Citroen Total World Rally Team - 244
2 Mikko Hirvonen (Finland) Citroen Total World Rally Team - 198
3 Mads Ostberg (Norway) Mads Ostberg - 137
4 Jari-Matti Latvala (Finland) Ford World Rally Team - 133
5 Petter Solberg (Norway) Ford World Rally Team - 124
6 Evgeny Novikov (Russia) M-Sport Ford World Rally Team - 87
7 Thierry Neuville (Belgium) Citroen Junior World Rally Team - 53
8 Ott Taenak (Estonia) M-Sport Ford World Rally Team - 52
9 Martin Prokop (Czech Republic) Czech Ford Rally Team - 46
10 Sebastien Ogier (France) Volkswagen Motorsport - 41