Sébastien Loeb: “Great satisfaction”

Sébastien Loeb (Citroen C4 WRC), even if he finished with a big lead over his pursuers, he knew that victory in Turkey was not a foregone conclusion. Dani Sordo (Citroën C4 WRC), who did not take any risks, demonstrated this by breaking a triangle in SS21 after slipping on a muddy section, when third place seemed promised to him. Therefore, success in these conditions delights the Frenchman.

« It was a big fight all along the rally because the others were very strong too. We had to fight until the end, says the six-time World Champion. When we finish, on terrain like that, at that pace, it feels good. We drove like crazy from start to finish. It was done regularly throughout, with a big fight, so it's a great satisfaction. »

However, the Frenchman saw his rivals being eliminated from the race for victory as the Rally progressed. “ It's true, there is the puncture ofOgier, Mikko's puncture, that set them back a little. So it ended with a duel between Solberg and me, but which lasted until this afternoon. It?s also true that we managed to open up a gap on the first stages of the afternoon and that we were able to manage in the last one. Otherwise, it was the big attack all along. »

In addition to his victory, the Citroën Racing driver is not unhappy to have won a Rally that he found difficult but well laid out. “ There are some very beautiful stages. The last special (SS20-23) for example, it’s incredible. We have sensations, jumps like nothing else. I jumped 85 meters in a special stage, I had never done that in Finland! »

Elsewhere than on the track, Sébastien Loeb also soars in the general classification of the World Championship, with 93 points, 40 more than Petter Solberg and 41 over Mikko Hirvonen. “ We're doing well in the championship, we're getting a little further ahead. That's 40 points difference, that's great. »