Rally GB: Loeb close to the coronation

Mikko Hirvonen, hampered by a stubborn hood, lost more than a minute in SS15, leaving the field open for Sébastien Loeb for the Frenchman to win a sixth world championship title.

Published on 25/10/2009 à 12:59

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Sébastien Loeb, before this last day of Rally of Great Britain, had warned: a rally is never played before the end. The Frenchman and his Finnish rival were able to verify it this Sunday morning.

In SS14, while he had a twenty-nine second lead, Sébastien Loeb lost more than eleven seconds to his rival. Visibly hampered by turbo problems, the Citroën driver saw Mikko Hirvonen come back eighteen seconds behind.

But in the following stage, it was the Finn who had to face unexpected problems. “ Just after a jump, the hooks on my hood came loose, so that air rushed underneath, commented Hirvonen at the end of the special. And in a long straight line, it completely rose up, completely blocking my view. I had to stop and take it off. »

In this affair, the Finn lost more than a minute. If Sébastien Loeb does not have any problems in the last special (start at 12:55 p.m.), the Finn can give up on the world title. “ It would take a miracle », Recognizes the Ford driver. But a rally is never played before the end.