Sébastien Loeb: “Enough in advance”

Sébastien Loeb (Citroen C4 WRC), winner of eight of the nine special stages scheduled for Saturday, achieved a huge success, pushing far away all his rivals, the Citroën drivers (Petter Solberg and Sébastien Ogier) who opened the road, as well as the Ford drivers (Jari-Matti Latvala and Mikko Hirvonen) who followed him.

« We could hardly do better, recognizes the six-time World Champion. We quickly took the lead Rally, we widened the gap, a big gap. We are fifty seconds ahead, we couldn't have hoped for better. » Impressive throughout the day, the driver of the Chevron brand admits that he was confident on the Mexican roads.

« I widened this gap at the cost of a big attack, he confirms. I had the car, so I might as well enjoy it. Everything that is taken is no longer to be taken. In the morning, I attacked hard with, inevitably, taking some risks. During the second pass, I was more confident in my driving. The stages were already swept and I had spotted the traps during the first pass. I showed a good pace without taking any reckless risks. »

Now, with almost a minute ahead of his closest pursuers, with only three special stages remaining, Sébastien Loeb is in a good position to win, even if he wants to remain cautious. “ Nothing is ever finished but we have enough progress to make a few passes and not take any risks. There is no longer any point in widening the gap. »