SS4: Loeb rapid in Wales
Loeb fastest as spin slows Solberg
World champion Sebastien Loeb has claimed his second stage victory on Wales Rally GB after topping the times on the 20.44-kilometre Gartheiniog, the opening test of day two.
Citroen driver Loeb, who heads Mikko Hirvonen in the world championship table by eight points, reported having a “few moments” in his Citroen DS3 WRC. “I had a very good start but a few moments on the mud and I lost a little bit of time in some places,” said the Frenchman. “I ran wide a bit everywhere.”
Hirvonen, in a Ford Fiesta RS WRC, completed the test 3.1s slower than Loeb and is now 3.8s adrift of his title rival in the overall standings.
“It was a bit dark, especially at the start of the stage,” said the Finn. “With the long straights you couldn’t see the braking so well. I was a bit disturbed at that but the conditions are really good.”
Jari-Matti Latvala was third fastest in his factory Fiesta but wasn’t entirely happy with his performance. “In some places the grip was quite okay, in some places it’s changing,” he said. “It was difficult to get the rhythm and I didn’t have a good start of the stage.”
Mads Ostberg was fourth quickest in his M-Sport Stobart Fiesta and has moved ahead of MINI WRC Team driver Dani Sordo to sixth place in the overall classification. The Norwegian reported the power problem that slowed him on Thursday’s stages had been cured at the remote service in Llandudno on Thursday evening.
Petter Solberg suffered a spin in his privateer DS3 WRC but was otherwise happy with his stage time. “It was actually okay but we had a spin and lost maybe six seconds. That’s how it is. I pushed hard but came far too fast into a corner. I’m happy with my time and it would have been very good without the spin. There’s a little bit of oversteer but the car is working well.”
Northern Ireland’s Kris Meeke was sixth fastest in his MINI John Cooper Works WRC. He said: “It was like ice in some places where the gravel has been scrubbed off the road. It left a lot of mud but that’s what happens with new stages. I got sucked in at a hairpin in one place and lost a few seconds.”
Henning Solberg briefly stalled his Fiesta, while Sebastien Ogier has restarted under SupeRally regulations following his retirement on Thursday’s first test. However, he was more than 20s slower than Loeb.