Stage 1 – Loeb in the last special stage… Hirvonen out

Sébastien Loeb is leading the Rallye de France – Tour de Corse – after the first stage of the weekend. The Frenchman successfully managed to gain a 4.8-second lead over his championship rival, Gronholm, during the 5 special stages finally completed. Results

The Frenchman, normally at ease on asphalt stages, made up the time he lost to the Finn at the beginning of the day. Indeed, the Citroën C4 driver took the lead in the rally during stage 4, recording the fastest times in ES4, 5, and 6.

“We did not start the day very well,” explains Loeb. “Marcus [Gronholm] was much faster than us. Now, we are ahead. I am not taking too many risks but I am pushing.”

The first special stage being canceled, there were only five points to join and the competition is really fierce between the two leaders. Behind them, the gaps quickly widened, but it seems that Citroën is making the best move of the weekend since Dani Sordo is currently 3rd (in a Citroën C4), while Mikko Hirvonen – in the second Ford Focus – had to retire in the third stage.

François Duval, whose goal is to prevent the Fords from scoring points, ranks 4th. He is ahead of Petter Solberg (Subaru), Jari-Matti Latvala (Ford Stobart), Chris Atkinson in the second Subaru, and Xevi Pons in the third Subaru.

The Frenchman made a breakthrough, just like last weekend in Spain during the last stage of the day, by gaining 4.7 seconds on Gronholm, whereas after SS 5, only 1 tenth of a second separated the two drivers.

For his part, Gronholm, even in second position, continues to believe: « We lost a bit of time in the last two stages. Sébastien [Loeb] attacks and attacks again. Tomorrow will be a new start. »

See the standings after the 1st Stage – France