WRC – Loeb: “There will undoubtedly be surprises”

The third day of Rally Monte-Carlo was the one that took the competitors from Valencia to Monaco. As in the previous stages, Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena managed to increase their lead at the top of the general classification. The Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT crew is now 1??47 ahead of its closest rivals. Dani Sordo and Carlos del Barrio continue their battle for the podium, while Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen are now sixth.

Friday began with the Saint-Jean-en-Royans special stage. With around twenty snowy kilometers, the competitors once again opted for studded Michelin Pilot Alpin tires. Delighted to discover the fast roads of the Vercors in these conditions, Sébastien Loeb had a blast, to the point of starting with a scratch. “It was undoubtedly the most beautiful special stage of the rally”, he enthused at the point-stop. “The fog had dissipated and the sun lit up the landscapes which we had the opportunity to appreciate. When the roads are wide and lined with small walls of snow, you can drive without restraint. I didn?t take any risks, but it was very pleasant! »

Even if they recognized the charm of the Drôme countryside, Dani Sordo and Mikko Hirvonen did not wear the same smile after having conceded large handfuls of seconds. “I went into a 360° while touching a wall of snow”, explained Dani Sordo. “I didn't even stop and I shouldn't have lost more than ten seconds, but this allows Novikov to get closer overall. »

After half an hour of assistance, the competitors headed south. Two stages remained to be contested before entering the parc ferme in Monaco: Saint-Nazaire-le-Désert (SS12) then Sisteron / Thoard (SS13), the legendary time trial taking the icy Col de Fontbelle. To cope with these varied conditions, the choice of rubber was oriented towards four studded tires associated with two extra-soft Pilot Sport.

Fifth in SS12, best time in SS13, Sébastien Loeb was above all satisfied to have finished with two very delicate sectors: “I had less fun than this morning. In the first stage, the snow had partially melted and we did not have the same grip on both sides of the car! The Sisteron special was completely dry and I would have preferred to have four slicks to attack hard. But overall we made the best choice. Here we are in Monaco, there is only one day left, but it will not be simpler than the previous ones. If it rains or snows in the Col du Turini, there will undoubtedly be surprises! »

Dispossessed of his third place by Novikov, Dani Sordo attacked in the last special of the day. He thus came back to less than two seconds of his rival: “I made another mistake on SS12 and that allowed Evgeny to pass. The gap between the two of us is tiny and I will fight to regain the advantage tomorrow. »

The day was not more successful for Mikko Hirvonen. Despite a good time in Saint-Nazaire-le-Désert (3rd to 3?4 from the scratch), the Finn moved to sixth position at the end of the last special of the day: “The first two stages didn't go so bad, but Sisteron was an ordeal. I had no rhythm, no confidence with this mixed tire. I have to at least try to get back to Jari-Matti (Latvala). »