WRC: Sebastien Loeb leads after day 1 in Great Britain

From the World Rally Championship

Five-time World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb got his quest for a sixth crown off to a great start, ending the opening day as rally leader, but after a thrilling nip and tuck scrap for the lead only 5.3 seconds separates him from Hirvonen in second place in Germany.

Loeb began the day the strongest driver, winning the opening three gravel stages in a classic mix of rain, mud and fog for which the rally is renowned.

The Frenchman brought his Citroen C4 WRC to the midday service with a lead of 8.9 seconds over Hirvonen in second.

The afternoon, however, was a different story, with Hirvonen quicker on the successive passes through Hafren (SS4) and Myherin (SS6) to keep himself firmly in winning contention.

The frenetic pace of the lead pair meant they steadily pulled away from the other drivers in the top ten, and at the end of Friday's competition the gap between Hirvonen and third placed Petter Solberg was 35 seconds.

Solberg, driving for the Citroen Junior Team this weekend, was quickly up to speed in his C4 on gravel and has been embroiled in a close battle with his factory C4 rival Dani Sordo from the first stage.

Completing the final stage with a slender 1.1sec lead over Dani in the overall standings, Solberg was delighted with his day.

Sordo, chasing a debut WRC victory this weekend, had a trouble free day at the wheel of his C4 WRC. However, the Spaniard was left shaking his head in disbelief at the end of the first stage when he saw the times of Loeb and Hirvonen, and he was still impressed at the end of SS6.

Citroen Junior Team driver Sebastien Ogier rounded off the top five places, but was 1min 59sec adrift of Sordo - largely as a result of a right-hand rear puncture picked up on SS6.

Classification after day 1:

1. Loeb-Elena (Citroen C4 Wrc) in 1.15’22”1
2. Hirvonen-Lehtinen (Ford Focus RS Wrc) + 5”3

3. P. Solberg-Mills (Citroen C4 Wrc) + 40”5
4. Sordo-Marti Citroen C4 Wrc) + 41”6
5. Ogier-Ingrassia (Citroen C4 Wrc) + 2’41”3

6. H.Solberg-Menkerud (Ford Focus RS Wrc) + 2’50”1
7. Wilson-Martin (Ford Focus RS Wrc) + 3’23”0
8. Rautenbach-Barritt (Citroen C4 Wrc) + 4’54”6

Etc.