From the World Rally Championship
The Acropolis Rally is set for a thrilling finale on Sunday with the top four drivers covered by a little more than 20 seconds with five stages left to run.
Sebastien Loeb, at the wheel of a Citroen DS3 WRC, holds top spot with team-mate Sebastien Ogier falling to second on the day’s final stage, 2.2s behind the world championship leader.
Citroen privateer Petter Solberg is third, 20.9s behind Loeb with Ford Fiesta RS WRC driver Mikko Hirvonen 22.4s adrift of first place.
Solberg began the day with a lead of 51.6s but was held back by running first on the road and an overshoot on the day’s second stage.
With Ogier making the most of running fourth on the road on a slightly cleaner surface, Solberg was unable to fend off the flying Frenchman who took the lead on stage 10.
But when Ogier reported losing time in the dust clouds on the day-closing night stage, Loeb found himself in the lead. As a result he will start first on the final day, which means he will have to clean the road of the loose surface gravel and faces losing precious seconds.
Mikko Hirvonen started day two in third overall in his Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team Fiesta RS WRC but slipped to fourth during the afternoon stages. He has vowed continue to battle on the final day.
Henning Solberg fought back from an early brake problem to complete day two in fifth position with M-Sport Stobart team-mate Matthew Wilson sixth having plagued for much of Saturday by a misfire.
Ex-Formula One world champion Kimi Raikkonen continues to impress on his Acropolis Rally debut by maintaining his bid for a points’ finish in seventh overall in his Ice 1 Racing Citroen.
Acropolis Rally – Classification after day 2:
1. Loeb-Elena (Citroen DS3 WRC) in 3h20’27”6
2. Ogier-Ingrassia (Citroen DS3 WRC) + 2’’2
3. P. Solberg-Patterson (Citroen DS3 WRC) + 20”9
4. Hirvonen-Lehtinen (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) + 22”4
5. H. Solberg-Minor (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) + 3'58”9
6. Wilson-Martin (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) + 5’30”2
7. Raikkonen-Lindstrom (Citroen DS3 WRC) + 6'55”4
8. Hanninen-Markkula (Skoda Fabia S2000 + 8'55”0
Etc.
The Acropolis Rally is set for a thrilling finale on Sunday with the top four drivers covered by a little more than 20 seconds with five stages left to run.
Sebastien Loeb, at the wheel of a Citroen DS3 WRC, holds top spot with team-mate Sebastien Ogier falling to second on the day’s final stage, 2.2s behind the world championship leader.
Citroen privateer Petter Solberg is third, 20.9s behind Loeb with Ford Fiesta RS WRC driver Mikko Hirvonen 22.4s adrift of first place.
Solberg began the day with a lead of 51.6s but was held back by running first on the road and an overshoot on the day’s second stage.
With Ogier making the most of running fourth on the road on a slightly cleaner surface, Solberg was unable to fend off the flying Frenchman who took the lead on stage 10.
But when Ogier reported losing time in the dust clouds on the day-closing night stage, Loeb found himself in the lead. As a result he will start first on the final day, which means he will have to clean the road of the loose surface gravel and faces losing precious seconds.
Mikko Hirvonen started day two in third overall in his Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team Fiesta RS WRC but slipped to fourth during the afternoon stages. He has vowed continue to battle on the final day.
Henning Solberg fought back from an early brake problem to complete day two in fifth position with M-Sport Stobart team-mate Matthew Wilson sixth having plagued for much of Saturday by a misfire.
Ex-Formula One world champion Kimi Raikkonen continues to impress on his Acropolis Rally debut by maintaining his bid for a points’ finish in seventh overall in his Ice 1 Racing Citroen.
Acropolis Rally – Classification after day 2:
1. Loeb-Elena (Citroen DS3 WRC) in 3h20’27”6
2. Ogier-Ingrassia (Citroen DS3 WRC) + 2’’2
3. P. Solberg-Patterson (Citroen DS3 WRC) + 20”9
4. Hirvonen-Lehtinen (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) + 22”4
5. H. Solberg-Minor (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) + 3'58”9
6. Wilson-Martin (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) + 5’30”2
7. Raikkonen-Lindstrom (Citroen DS3 WRC) + 6'55”4
8. Hanninen-Markkula (Skoda Fabia S2000 + 8'55”0
Etc.