Frenchmen Sebastien Loeb and co-driver Daniel Elena edged closer to a ninth World Rally Championship title this weekend, as the Citroën duo bested rivals Jari-Matti Latvala and Miika Anttila (Ford World Rally Team) to win another Rallye Deutschland. Loeb and Elena’s Citroën team-mates Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen claimed the final podium spot.
The eight-times and defending champion Loeb took an early lead on Friday and that lead increased when main contender and Latvala’s team-mate Petter Solberg hit a rock, damaging the rear suspension on his Fiesta WRC. The French ace kept his cool to take nine of the 15 special stages, which were all on asphalt – his specialty. The win is the pair’s fifth consecutive of the season.
"The Rallye Deutschland is a race where it is easy to make mistakes. A lot of drivers have made them. This is a tricky rally with narrow roads. We managed to not make a mistake from the beginning and I drove very clean – the result is there to see,” Loeb said afterward.
Mikko Hirvonen was happy to score a podium finish as he admitted that he found the conditions quite a challenge. This rally was really difficult from start to finish, with very dirty roads. This is not the kind of conditions that I particularly like, but that’s rallying,” said the Finn.
Mads Østberg and Jonas Andersson (Adapta World Rally Team) took fourth position in their Fiesta RS. “I enjoy Tarmac a lot; it is just that some events are a little more difficult than others. But I have learnt a lot more about Germany now and you can enjoy it if the rhythm is there. I think the last two days have been a lot more fun and this rally will certainly have helped towards France and Spain – hopefully I will be even more of a Tarmac person then!” Ostberg said.
The next round of the WRC calendar happens in Great Britain, for the Wales Rally GB, which starts on September 13. The wide and wet gravel surfaces are likely to suit the Scandinavians more, and if there’s going to be any challenge to Loeb’s ninth title chase, it’s going to have to start on the isle before the final three events.
Standings
Drivers championship
1. Sebastien Loeb – 199 points
2. Mikko Hirvonen – 145
3. Petter Solberg – 104
4. Mads Østberg – 102
5. Jari-Matti Latvala – 87
6. Evgeny Novikov – 55
7. Martin Prokop – 38
8. Thierry Neuville – 32
Manufacturers championship
1. Citroën Total World Rally Team
2. Ford World Rally Team
3. M-Sport Ford World Rally Team
4. Qatar World Rally Team
5. Citroën Junior World Rally Team