SS5: Loeb regains control in Germany

Sebastien Loeb has hit back in the battle for victory on ADAC Rallye Deutschland by winning the fifth stage of the asphalt event, round nine of the World Rally Championship.

Loeb’s lead over Citroen team-mate Sebastien Ogier had shrunk to 0.9s after stage four when Loeb lost ground running over a dusty service. But the 37-year-old, who is chasing a ninth win in Germany, had no such problems on stage five.

“It was less dusty on this stage so I lost less time because there was a clean line,” said Loeb, whose lead over Ogier is now up to 5.6s.

Ogier said: “I have done some mistakes on this one, small ones but it has cost me some time. Second place is not our goal.”

Frantic repairs on the road section prior to stage five have kept Mikko Hirvonen in the fight for a podium finish in his Ford Fiesta RS WRC after he suffered suspension damage on the previous test. However, his team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala has been less fortunate having failed to cure the engine problem that struck his Fiesta on the previous test.

“It’s not right,” he said. “We don’t know what it is and we can’t do anything to it. We just need to carry on and get to the service.”

Petter Solberg survived a moment in his privateer DS3 WRC to set the fourth fastest time, one place ahead of the leading MINI John Cooper Works WRC of Dani Sordo.

Standings after SS5: