Loeb Secures Sixth Consecutive WRC Title

After a dramatic closing four stages, Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen narrowly clinched the runner up spot, just one second ahead of Dani Sordo and Marc Marti.

At the end of a season dominated by Loeb and Hirvonen, the Frenchman won the title by a single point after one of the closest battles. At the beginning of the year, Loeb looked to have the upper hand, winning the first five events. However, Hirvonen bounced back in the second half of the season to win four consecutive rallies and hold the Championship lead going into the final round of the series. He ultimately finished second to Loeb and Dani Sordo maintained third. Citroën claimed the FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers* on the penultimate round in Spain.

Today was the shortest of the three-day event and covered just 79.84 competitive kilometres. In the opening stage Hirvonen took the advantage and then slashed the deficit to Loeb to 18.2 seconds after the first loop of stages. However, in the penultimate stage the Finn’s bonnet flew up after a jump and he was forced to stop and remove it, losing over a minute and any hope of a final stage battle. As a consequence, he and third-placed Sordo reached the finish separated by one second.

Petter Solberg claimed fourth with brother Henning fifth. Sébastien Ogier, previously fifth, rolled into retirement in the penultimate stage. Britain’s Matthew Wilson finished sixth ahead of Jari-Matti Latvala and Conrad Rautenbach.

Source: www.nzracer.com

* Subject to the official publication of the results by the FIA