Loeb the comeback king

SS10: Ogier takes the rally lead

Citroen Junior Team driver Sebastien Ogier was the big winner on Saturday’s opening stage in Rally New Zealand, jumping up from third place into the lead of the event.

The Frenchman, third in today’s running order, overturned the advantages of Petter Solberg and Jari-Matti Latvala who were ahead of him on Friday night.

The fastest man on the stage however was Sebastien Loeb, who was 4.1sec quicker than anybody else as he fights to regain time lost in a crash on day one.

Ford’s team-leader Mikko Hirvonen completed the stage 24sec slower than Ogier after spinning mid-stage and hitting a bank. Hirvonen believes the impact might have affected his car’s handling.

SS11: Petter up to second

Former World Champion Petter Solberg moved up to second place on Saturday’s second stage, thanks in part to a slow time from Ford’s Jari-Matti Latvala.

Solberg now lies 9.2sec adrift of rally leader Sebastien Ogier, while Latvala - who was sixth-fastest on SS11 - is just one second behind the Norwegian.

Defending champion Sebastien Loeb was the stage winner, completing the 21km section 6.1sec quicker than anyone else. He remains sixth in the overall standings, 23.8sec behind title rival Mikko Hirvonen in fifth.

SS12: Loeb the comeback king

Sebastien Loeb set a remarkable time though the 30km Te Akau Coast to put himself firmly back in the fight for victory on Rally New Zealand.

The Citroen star side-swiped a bridge on the rally’s opening day - an incident which cost him more than 80 seconds. But on SS11, after his four consecutive stage win, Loeb lies just 1.5sec behind fifth-placed Mikko Hirvonen and 38sec off the lead.

Hirvonen was Loeb’s closest rival on Te Akau Coast - but was 22 seconds slower.