Loeb wins Cyprus rally third year in a row

French driver Sebastian Loeb won the twelfth round of the World Rally Championship in Cyprus Sunday for the third year in a row, placing him closer to securing his third consecutive world championship title.

The Kronos-Citroen driver fended off his main rival, Finland’s Markus Gronholm in a Ford who was leading on Friday, but succumbed to the Frenchman’s offensive on the second day who recorded his 28th career win in Cyprus.

“Another great victory for me,” commented Loeb, who added, “we had a difficult challenge here in Cyprus and Markus pressured me for two days. Now I hope to finish in the first four in Turkey in order to clinch the championship.”

Gronholm was not disappointed, though.

“The team decided it was more important to secure the second place and win points,” the Finnish driver said.

With four more races to go, Loeb widened the difference with the Finn to 35 points.

He was fastest in ten of the 21 special stages and Gronholm won eight as drivers took to the grueling mountain tracks and rough dusty roads that were hampered with unexpected heavy rainfall that caused extensive damage to the 319-kilometre course.

Third overall was Ford Focus driver Miko Hirvonen who helped narrow Ford’s difference with Citroen from eleven to seven points.

Japan’s Fumio Noutahara drove his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX to first place in the Production category to rise to second place in the P-WRC standings with 30 points, eight below leader Nasser Al Atiya who finished seventh in the same category.

Second in the P-WRC in Cyprus was Finland’s Mika Tiskonen in a Subari Impreza, with Qatar’s Khaled Al Kassimi third, also in a Subaru.

Andreas Philippou in a Subaru Impreza was the best-placed Cypriot driver who finished the Cyprus Rally in 16th overall position, followed by compatriots Pantelis Pamboukas and Manolis Kouloumas in 17th and 18th position, respectively.

Overall results of the WRC Cyprus Rally, 12th round, 22 special stages:

1. S. Loeb (France) Citroen Xsara, in 4 hours, 40 minutes, 50.4 seconds;

2. M. Gronholm (Finland) Ford Focus RS WRC06, 21.2 seconds behind;

3. M. Hirvonen (Finland) Ford Focus RS WRC06, 4 minutes, 54.9 seconds;

4. M. Stohl (Austria) Peugeot 307WRC, 1 minute, 23.6 seconds;

5. T. Gardemeister (Finland) Citroen Xsara, 2 minutes, 0.7 seconds;

6. H. Solberg (Norway) Peugeot 307WRC, 5 minutes, 59.6 seconds;

7. X. Pons (Spain) Citroen Xsara, 6.7 seconds;

8. P. Solberg (Norway) Subaru Impreza WRC 34.8 seconds.

FIA World Rally Championship standings after 12 rounds:

Drivers:

1. Sebastian Loeb (France) 112 points