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SS9: Advantage Loeb

News after SS9

By Franck Drui

21 August 2010 - 09:47

The nip and tuck battle for the lead between Citroen drivers Sebastien Loeb and Dani Sordo swung back in Loeb’s favour on SS9, when the Frenchman clawed back all the time lost to his team-mate on the previous test.

At the stage end, Loeb admitted he had made a few mistakes, and had slid off the racing line on some of the gravel sections as he pushed hard to keep Sordo at bay.

Sordo was Loeb’s closest challenger, completing the 17.50km stage 3.5sec slower. Petter Solberg was third quickest, 6.6sec off Sordo’s time.

Jari-Matti Latvala, third in the overall standings, slipped another 10 seconds behind Loeb. “We just can’t match their speed in the dirty corners. I think that’s where I’m losing the time” said Latvala.

Overall standings after SS9:

Pos.	Driver	Car	Time
01	Sébastien LOEB	Citroën C4 WRC	1h44m12.7s
02	Dani SORDO	Citroën C4 WRC	+10.8s
03	Jari-Matti LATVALA	Ford Focus WRC	+1m28.8s
04	Sébastien OGIER	Citroën C4 WRC	+1m36.5s
05	Mikko HIRVONEN	Ford Focus WRC	+1m47.3s
06	Francois DUVAL	Ford Focus WRC	+3m38.5s
07	Matthew WILSON	Ford Focus WRC	+4m27.1s
08	Kimi RAIKKONEN	Citroën C4 WRC	+4m37.3s
09	Petter SOLBERG	Citroën C4 WRC	+5m09.5s
10	Ken BLOCK	Ford Focus WRC	+7m29.8s
11	Mark VAN ELDIK	Subaru Impreza WRC	+8m00.3s
12	Per Gunnar ANDERSSON	Skoda Fabia S2000	+8m40.7s
13	Martin PROKOP	Ford Fiesta S2000	+8m41.3s
14	Patrik SANDELL	Skoda Fabia S2000	+8m51.2s
15	Khalid AL QASSIMI	Ford Focus WRC	+9m01.6s