The Peugeot's of Markko Martin and Marcus Gronholm have fini🍎shed fourth💮 and fifth on the Monte Carlo Rally - but the team was unlucky to miss out on their best result in the Principality after a dramatic end to the event.

Gronholm was in a comfortable second place until this morning's first run over the Col de Turini, when he spu🐼n and ripped a front wheel off as a result of spectators throwing snow onto the stage.

He had to complete the road section back to service on three wheels, but some s🃏wift work from the Peugeot mechanics ensured that he remaiꦛned in the rally.

"I came over the Col de Turini, which was damp but without snow or ice. I had a good feeling with the car and I was able to attack on the descent towards Le Moulinet. On the first tight right-hand corner, I found myself on a sheet of snow - which had been put there by spectators," explained the ﷽Finn.

"I couldn't avoid hitting a rock on the outside of the bend and damaging my𓄧 car's front right suspension. I managed to get to the end of the stage and to service in Monaco on time - despite only having three wheels! Thankfully the team fixed my car and I was able to finish, but it should have been on the podium."

Martin meanwhile continued to learn more about h💎is new 307 WRC today, despite questioning some of his tyre choices.

The Estonian toᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚok a cautious approach to be sure of making the finish, and ended up in a well-deserved fourth place.

"I've learnt a lot about the car on this event, and there are some things which I am going to 🌌change which will help me in the future," he said. "It's been quite difficult to get used to the dimensions of the 307 WRC, as it has a slightly different feeling to♛ cars I have driven in the past.

"However, my initial impressions are very positive and I am happy to get to the end of the rally with no problems. Monte Car💖lo is always a very unpredictable event, so I was pleased to steer cleᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚar of trouble!"

Peugeot boss, Corrado Provera was some what annoyed to lose the runnersꦿ-up spot - but could still see the 'silver lining in the cloud'.

"It's a result which carries some disappointment," he concluded, "as Marcus lost a fine second place, but there are also positive elements. We had no mechanical pro𒅌blems with the cars, which underlines the progress t𝔍hat we have made at Peugeot Sport.

"Marcus drove the best Monte Carlo Rally of his career, although his life was made more difficult by our relative lack of knowledge about our new Pirelli tyres. Markko, new both to Pirelli and the 307 WRC, was not at full confidence and so preferred to play safe and make sure of finishing his first rally with us. Now we 🌠head to Sweden: a rally which should suit us better."