Matton: Loeb will fight back

Sebastien Loeb’s team boss Yves Matton is convinced the nine-time world champion can take the lead of RallyRACC-Rally de Espana when the event switches to asphalt for days two and three.

Loeb, a winner in Spain on seven previous occasions, is 19.5s adrift of leader Mads Ostberg and 6.4s behind Citroen team-mate Mikko Hirvonen in fourth overall following the trio of rain-hit stages this morning.

But Matton isn’t concerned and has backed Loeb to make up ground on his final event as a full-time FIA World Rally Championship driver.

“I am very confident because he’s not so far from the lead,” said Matton. “Also it’s Sebastien we’re talking about and he has two days [on Tarmac] to do it. Normally we are quite good on this surface so I can be only confident he is coming back to the lead. The idea is to do one and two and both of our drivers are in a good position. They have done the job they had to do this morning and without taking too much risk.”

Loeb said: “To take the lead first we need to stay on the contact this afternoon and stay on the road. Then for sure we are waiting to go on the Tarmac. We will be in survival mode this afternoon but even if you are in survival mode it’s so tricky and you can be stuck somewhere.”