Loeb snatches dramatic WRC win in Spain; Ogier regains championship lead after finishing second

INDIAinF1 Desk October 29, 2018

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*Sebastien Loeb and co-driver Daniel Elena on the podium after their win in Spain. Photo: rallyracc.com*

Salou, 29 October 2018: Sébastien Loeb (co-driver Daniel Elena) claimed his first WRC victory for more than five years in a pulsating finale to RallyRACC Catalunya – Rally de España, the penultimate round of the FIA World Rally Championship on Sunday. The 44-year old nine-time World champion, making his final guest appearance of the season with Citroën Racing, edged defending title holder Sébastien Ogier by 2.9sec in an intense finale to the four-day mixed surface event.

Ogier’s consolation was that he regained the championship lead by three points from Thierry Neuville with one round remaining. The Belgian was relegated from third to fourth, and missed out on crucial bonus points, after hitting a stone near the finish.

After winning every year from 2005 to 2012, Loeb (Citroën C3 WRC) achieved his ninth victory at the RallyRACC, an amazing feat, as he is not currently participating in this season and had chosen the Spanish round as one of the three in which he competed this season. This victory is also the second consecutive achieved by Citroën at the Catalan round, after the one Meeke-Nagle took last year.

Loeb, who retired from full-time competition in 2012, last stood on the winners’ podium in Argentina in 2013. He lay third overnight but charged into the lead by winning Sunday’s opening two speed tests as an inspired tyre choice reaped rewards. Loeb threw away vital seconds with a spin in the penultimate test to allow Ogier to close in his Ford Fiesta. He held on through the final 14.50km test for his ninth Spanish win.

“The information we had from the weather team was right. The roads were drying and I knew if I used hard tyres in these conditions I could be fast,” he said. “To win after almost six years is incredible, but to do so in a battle like this, where you only discover after the finish line that you have won, is amazing. I never believed I would win again.”

Tyre choice errors early in the event cost Ogier dear, but this season’s remarkable title fight swung back in his favour when Neuville hit a stone close to the finish. The impact broke his Hyundai i20’s right rear wheel and allowed Elfyn Evans, team-mate to Ogier, to snatch third and aid his colleague’s title bid. Evans ended 0.5sec clear of Neuville.

Spain’s Dani Sordo was a further 1.6sec behind in fifth, while early leader Ott Tänak recovered to sixth after yesterday’s puncture. The Estonian is 23 points adrift of Ogier and with a maximum 30 available at the last round, his hopes hang by a thread.

Esapekka Lappi finished seventh ahead of Toyota Yaris team-mate and overnight leader Jari-Matti Latvala. The Finn remained second until he hit a barrier in the penultimate stage, punctured his front left tyre and dropped nearly 50sec. Craig Breen and Andreas Mikkelsen completed the top 10.

The championship showdown takes place at Kennards Hire Rally Australia. The gravel event is based in Coffs Harbour on 15-18 November.

*Sebastien Ogier….back at the top of the championship. Photo: M-Sport.*

Ogier said; “It’s been an eventful weekend but we’re feeling good at the end of it. We knew that it would be difficult starting second on the road and the wet conditions made it really challenging as well. But we never gave up and gave it everything we had. You’re always a little frustrated when you miss the victory by such a small margin, but we tried everything we could and it’s still been a positive weekend as we regained the lead of the championship. Starting first on the road in Australia will be difficult, but I prefer to have the points in hand. It will be a tough rally and we will have to give it everything we have if we want to regain the title.”

The day started with a first pass through the Riudecanyes (16.35 km) and Santa Marina (14.50 km) stages, where Loeb set the fastest time, taking the lead after this first loop and leaving Latvala Miikka (Toyota Yaris WRC), 7.1 seconds behind, and Ogier (Ford Fiesta WRC) at 10.8.

With all options open before the second loop over the same two stages, Riudecanyes had a surprising winning duo, Elfyn Evans-Daniel Barritt (Ford Fiesta WRC), who took the fifth place overall ahead of the Spanish Dani Sordo-Carlos del Barrio (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC). Nevertheless, the highlight in that stage was a spin by Loeb at the Coll de la Teixeta roundabout, where he lost some seconds but kept the lead, as well as a puncture for Latvala, this time in the left front tyre, that took him definitively out of the fight for victory.

At Santa Marina, the Power Stage, Loeb and Ogier met for the final duel and the last stage could not be more exciting: Ott Tänak was the fastest and took the 5 extra points. But the drivers fighting for victory were right behind him, Ogier second and Loeb third, which allowed the Citroën driver to take the win, for the ninth time at the RallyRACC, a historical feat that no one else had achieved in the 54 editions held.

Thierry Neuville lost the third final position in the last few meters, as he damaged his rear tyre, so Elfyn Evans, who was fourth in the Power Stage, completed the overall podium. Dani Sordo, who took one additional point in this last stage, was not able to do any better than the sixth place, ahead of Ott Tänak, who is now definitively out of the fight for the drivers’ title.

Teenager Rovanpera leads 1-2 WRC 2 finish for Skoda

*Kalle Rovanperä and co-driver Jonne Halttunen celebrating their WRC 2 category. Photo: Skoda Motorsport*

Exactly on the day of the 100 years celebration of the country Czechoslovakia, Czech ŠKODA factory crew Jan Kopecký/Pavel Dresler celebrated their WRC 2 championship win with a second place behind team-mates Kalle Rovanperä-Jonne Halttunen. Before the event, ŠKODA Motorsport also had secured the WRC 2 Championship for Teams, making the 2018 season the most successful in its history.

After the rally switched from gravel to tarmac for the Saturday leg, 18-year old Rovanperä stormed into the category lead, unimpressed by heavy rain. Finally, he secured his second WRC 2 win of the season, which made them climb up to third overall in the WRC 2 championship standings behind teammates Jan Kopecký and Pontus Tidemand.

Kopecký said: “This is a very special day for me. On the date today, my home country celebrates its 100th birthday. We are delighted to become WRC 2 champions and so could crown a fantastic season!”

One of the first to congratulate was Christian Strube, Head of Technical Development ŠKODA AUTO. ŠKODA Motorsport boss Michal Hrabánek added: “Now it is time to celebrate! Kalle and Jan did a great job. The whole team made it possible, that we enjoy the most successful year in the history of ŠKODA Motorsport!”

Overall Classification: