paul
Team Owner
http://www.wrc.com/en_GB/News/NewsDetail/2...02_R_D_SS23.htm
Citroen's rising star Sebastien Loeb bagged his first ever WRC after a clean run through SS23 – Super St Wendel 2. The Frenchman started the stage with 14.7s in hand, and emerged having lost only 0.4s of it to pursuer Richard Burns.
The reigning World Champion had matched Loeb blow for blow during the final leg, but was ultimately relying on the youngster making a mistake if he was to take his first win for Peugeot.
However, Loeb's mistake on Saturday night's final super special stage could yet deprive him of victory in an unwelcome repeat of the Monte Carlo rally.
Marcus Gronholm was third fastest through the final stage b to take third place and extend his championship lead. With Citroen not eligible to score manufacturer points, not matter what happend to Loeb, Peugeot takes another maximum points haul.
Colin McRae opted for a relaxed run through the final five kilometres to make sure of fourth place, his haul of three points ensuring that he lost the minimum possible ground in his pursuit of championship leader Gronholm.
Privateer Peugeot 206 driver Bruno Thiry took an impressive fifth place overall, over fifteen seconds clear of sixth-placed Markko Martin. The Estonian began the stage with a five second advantage over the charging Tommi Makinen, but was 1.2s faster through the stage to make sure of the final point, relegating the Finn to seventh.
Ford's Carlos Sainz finished eighth overall ahead of Mitsubishi's Francois Delecour and former Asia-Pacific Rally champion Kenneth Eriksson.
Citroen's rising star Sebastien Loeb bagged his first ever WRC after a clean run through SS23 – Super St Wendel 2. The Frenchman started the stage with 14.7s in hand, and emerged having lost only 0.4s of it to pursuer Richard Burns.
The reigning World Champion had matched Loeb blow for blow during the final leg, but was ultimately relying on the youngster making a mistake if he was to take his first win for Peugeot.
However, Loeb's mistake on Saturday night's final super special stage could yet deprive him of victory in an unwelcome repeat of the Monte Carlo rally.
Marcus Gronholm was third fastest through the final stage b to take third place and extend his championship lead. With Citroen not eligible to score manufacturer points, not matter what happend to Loeb, Peugeot takes another maximum points haul.
Colin McRae opted for a relaxed run through the final five kilometres to make sure of fourth place, his haul of three points ensuring that he lost the minimum possible ground in his pursuit of championship leader Gronholm.
Privateer Peugeot 206 driver Bruno Thiry took an impressive fifth place overall, over fifteen seconds clear of sixth-placed Markko Martin. The Estonian began the stage with a five second advantage over the charging Tommi Makinen, but was 1.2s faster through the stage to make sure of the final point, relegating the Finn to seventh.
Ford's Carlos Sainz finished eighth overall ahead of Mitsubishi's Francois Delecour and former Asia-Pacific Rally champion Kenneth Eriksson.