From wrc.com
Sebastien Loeb will start day two of the Acropolis Rally in Greece leading Jari-Matti Latvala by a margin of 6.5s following a close battle.
Citroen ace Loeb started Friday’s punishing route of eight stages around the Gulf of Corinth early this morning trailing overnight leader Jari-Matti Latvala by 2.8s. After initially struggling to peg back his rival - the Ford driver was quickest on stages two and three - Loeb arrived at the first remote service halt in Itea in the lead after an overshoot on stage four cost Latvala precious seconds.
With Latvala struggling for grip through the damp stages five and six, Loeb was able to grow his overall advantage to 10.1s by the time the crews returned to Itea this afternoon. Although Latvala went fastest on stage seven, Loeb appeared to be controlling his lead only to drop time on stage nine in dust clouds created by several drivers running ahead of him on the road suffering problems.
Latvala, whose opening stage win on Thursday evening was six weeks to the day since he broke his left collarbone falling while cross-country skiing, reported only a small amount of discomfort from his injury, which has still yet to completely heal.
Petter Solberg completes the provisional podium in his Fiesta after a scare on stage six, the uphill Drossohori test, when his car suffered a heavy impact in a compression and sustained bent rear suspension.
Citroen’s Mikko Hirvonen is fourth following a puncture on Friday’s final test with Evgeny Novikov fifth overnight for the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team despite myriad mechanical problems during the day. Martin Prokop is sixth following a wild ride through a ditch on stage six, with Nasser Al-Attiyah seventh in his Qatar World Rally Team Citroen. Mads Ostberg is eighth after he briefly got stuck going off the road on stage nine and dropped two places.
Acropolis rally – day 1 classification:
1. Sebastien Loeb (Citroen DS3) in 2h14’01’’3
2. Jari-Matti Latvala (Ford Fiesta) +6’’5
3. Petter Solberg (Ford Fiesta) +17’’7
4. Mikko Hirvonen (Citroen DS3) +49’’6
5. Evgeny Novikov (Ford Fiesta) +3’54’’9
6. Martin Prokop (Ford Fiesta) +4’46’’7
7. Nasser Al Attiyah (Citroën DS3) +4’56’’9
8. Mads Ostberg (Ford Fiesta) +5’14’’6
Etc.
Sebastien Loeb will start day two of the Acropolis Rally in Greece leading Jari-Matti Latvala by a margin of 6.5s following a close battle.
Citroen ace Loeb started Friday’s punishing route of eight stages around the Gulf of Corinth early this morning trailing overnight leader Jari-Matti Latvala by 2.8s. After initially struggling to peg back his rival - the Ford driver was quickest on stages two and three - Loeb arrived at the first remote service halt in Itea in the lead after an overshoot on stage four cost Latvala precious seconds.
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| Sebastien Loeb, Citroen. (Photo: WRC) |
With Latvala struggling for grip through the damp stages five and six, Loeb was able to grow his overall advantage to 10.1s by the time the crews returned to Itea this afternoon. Although Latvala went fastest on stage seven, Loeb appeared to be controlling his lead only to drop time on stage nine in dust clouds created by several drivers running ahead of him on the road suffering problems.
Latvala, whose opening stage win on Thursday evening was six weeks to the day since he broke his left collarbone falling while cross-country skiing, reported only a small amount of discomfort from his injury, which has still yet to completely heal.
Petter Solberg completes the provisional podium in his Fiesta after a scare on stage six, the uphill Drossohori test, when his car suffered a heavy impact in a compression and sustained bent rear suspension.
Citroen’s Mikko Hirvonen is fourth following a puncture on Friday’s final test with Evgeny Novikov fifth overnight for the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team despite myriad mechanical problems during the day. Martin Prokop is sixth following a wild ride through a ditch on stage six, with Nasser Al-Attiyah seventh in his Qatar World Rally Team Citroen. Mads Ostberg is eighth after he briefly got stuck going off the road on stage nine and dropped two places.
Acropolis rally – day 1 classification:
1. Sebastien Loeb (Citroen DS3) in 2h14’01’’3
2. Jari-Matti Latvala (Ford Fiesta) +6’’5
3. Petter Solberg (Ford Fiesta) +17’’7
4. Mikko Hirvonen (Citroen DS3) +49’’6
5. Evgeny Novikov (Ford Fiesta) +3’54’’9
6. Martin Prokop (Ford Fiesta) +4’46’’7
7. Nasser Al Attiyah (Citroën DS3) +4’56’’9
8. Mads Ostberg (Ford Fiesta) +5’14’’6
Etc.