Loeb won’t forget Oz woe in a hurry

World Rally Championship leader Sebastien Loeb admits his memories of Rally Australia won’t fade in a hurry but is now keen to focus his attentions on Rallye de France Alsace, the next round of the series and his home round of the WRC.

The Citroen Total World Rally Team ace won the asphalt counter last season and returns to the Strasbourg-based event heading the title standings, despite his crash on the opening day in Australia restricting him to 10th overall in the final results.

Writing on his personal website, Loeb said: “Rally Australia will remain in my memory, but not positively! It started with the roll, then from [Sebastien] Ogier’s mistake and we have given a huge job to the fantastic mechanics. The days seemed long until the final stage, which ended with team orders. We have experienced easier rallies.”

“Now I cannot wait for the rally in Alsace,” he continued. “There will be much anticipated at the event and I hope it will be okay. Of course it will be just as difficult to do as last year when we won the rally and the championship but I hope we will deliver a good result for the fans and enthusiasts will join in the party.”

Loeb’s margin at the top of the WRC drivers’ standings over Ford’s Mikko Hirvonen is 15 points. There are three rounds remaining starting with the French event from 29 September-2 October.

A home victory for Loeb would put him a step closer to his eighth world title but with Hirvonen narrowing the gap with his win in Australia and confident of maintaining his upturn in form on the upcoming asphalt rounds the title race remains wide open.