Loeb accepts blame for Australia roll

Sebastien Loeb has accepted the blame for the crash that put him out of the lead of Rally Australia this morning.

Loeb was leading the world championship qualifier by 2.0s when he rolled an estimated five times approximately halfway through the 12.78-kilometre Brooklana test after taking a right-hand turn too quickly.

“I went too fast into the right-hander because I done the mistake when I saw a split time on the dash,” said Loeb. “I was not concentrated, I didn’t brake enough for the corner and I was too fast.”

Loeb denied he had been pushing too hard in the slippery conditions. He added: “I was not taking risks and I had done a very clean stage before that. I was looking at something when I saw the corner too late.”

M-Sport Stobart driver Matthew Wilson, currently in sixth position on the Coffs Harbour-based event, described the moment when he encountered Loeb’s stricken Citroen DS3 WRC.

“I couldn’t really believe it - it was quite a shock,” said Wilson. “It wasn’t a very fast place, a slow right after a fourth-gear right.”

Although it is understood the Citroen DS3 WRC has not suffered extensive damage, until an inspection by team members and the event scrutineers is completed Citroen is unable to confirm whether Loeb can continue on the second day of the event.

“Sebastien and Daniel are walking back to the start of the stage where they will be picked up and brought back to service,” said a team spokesperson. “But until the car is checked we cannot say what will happen for tomorrow. From what we understand it is possible they will restart but the radio and phone reception has not been very good to find out everything that has happened.”

The spokesperson added: “It’s disappointing he is out but it was more of a relief when we heard they were okay because you never know when a car rolls.”