Miami GP || May 5 || 16h00 (Local time)

Loeb wins rally, takes ninth title

French legend triumphs on home soil as Citroen secures eighth crown

By Franck Drui

7 October 2012 - 15:13

Sebastien Loeb and Daniel Elena have won Rallye de France Alsace to secure their ninth FIA World Rally Championship crown, subject to final ratification.

In the process they have helped Citroen secure the WRC manufacturers’ title for an eighth time.

Jari-Matti Latvala finished second for Ford with Mikko Hirvonen adding to Citroen’s joy in third place.

Crews are now heading back to the podium finish at the Strasbourg Zenith at 16:00hrs local time where thousands of fans will welcome Loeb and Elena.

SS22: Neuville takes stage win, Loeb wins rally

Thierry Neuville completed Rallye de France Alsace with his sixth stage victory in his Citroen Junior World Rally Team DS3 WRC to secure fourth place in the final classification.

But by reaching the finish of the run Sebastien Loeb claimed the overall victory - his 75th in the FIA World Rally Championship - to secure in his ninth WRC drivers’ title with Citroen becoming WRC manufacturers’ champion for an eighth time.

Mads Ostberg was second fastest, 0.5s down on Neuville to finish fifth overall with Jari-Matti Latvala matching the Norwegian’s time in a similar Ford Fiesta RS WRC to clinch the runner-up spot behind Loeb.

Petter Solberg was fourth quickest with Ott Tanak completing an impressive showing with the fifth best time.

Pos.	#	Driver	Time	Diff / Prev	Diff / 1st
1.	1	S. LOEB	3:32:53.0
2.	3	J. LATVALA	3:33:08.5	+15.5	+15.5
3.	2	M. HIRVONEN	3:33:37.1	+28.6	+44.1
4.	8	T. NEUVILLE	3:34:00.3	+23.2	+1:07.3
5.	10	M. ØSTBERG	3:34:09.4	+9.1	+1:16.4
6.	5	O. TÄNAK	3:35:20.9	+1:11.5	+2:27.9
7.	6	E. NOVIKOV	3:38:44.6	+3:23.7	+5:51.6
8.	12	C. ATKINSON	3:39:35.4	+50.8	+6:42.4
9.	21	M. PROKOP	3:41:39.8	+2:04.4	+8:46.8
10.	52	S. CHARDONNET	3:41:52.7	+12.9	+8:59.7
11.	22	S. OGIER	3:41:56.6	+3.9	+9:03.6
12.	23	A. MIKKELSEN	3:44:12.4	+2:15.8	+11:19.4
13.	53	J. MAURIN	3:45:52.4	+1:40.0	+12:59.4
14.	68	Y. MULLER	3:47:07.1	+1:14.7	+14:14.1
15.	54	H. GASSNER	3:48:58.5	+1:51.4	+16:05.5
16.	69	R. DUMAS	3:49:09.7	+11.2	+16:16.7
17.	32	C. BREEN	3:50:11.3	+1:01.6	+17:18.3
18.	36	Y. AL RAJHI	3:50:48.9	+37.6	+17:55.9
19.	56	M. BURRI	3:56:36.0	+5:47.1	+23:43.0
20.	51	S. CONSANI	4:00:41.2	+4:05.2	+27:48.2