After the Citroën drivers’ one-minute penalties for running unhomologated anti-roll bars cost Sébastien Loeb victory in Australia, the Frenchman will be eyeing his fourth successive Spanish victory on October 4.
The World Rally Championship standings are finely poised as the teams arrive at the former Rally de Catalunya – now the renamed Rally de España – in Salou, south of Barcelona on the Costa Daurada. The revised results from events on the Gold Coast give Ford’s Mikko Hirvonen a slender five-point advantage over Loeb with only Spain and the final rally of the season, in Great Britain from October 23–25, remaining.
Citroën boss Olivier Quesnel, despite accepting the decision of the Rally Australia scrutineers, expressed disappointment that the team’s drivers were punished for what amounted to an admin error, rather than sporting dishonesty or anything that compromised safety.
“We are still in shock,” said Quesnel. “It had no effect on performance. We are surprised at the harshness of the penalty.”
However, as the second of only two tarmac rallies on the calendar, and with the surfaces much more predictable than those of the other in Ireland, Loeb has reason to be confident, particularly as team-mate Dani Sordo has also finished in second behind him for the last three years. A one-two here again would secure the manufacturers’ crown for Citroën, even though a Loeb win would see the drivers’ title chase go down to the wire in Wales, as Hirvonen predicts.
“Sébastien has always been strong in Spain and I expect he will be again this year,” said the Finn, who has apparently been taking lessons in asphalt driving from F1 compatriot Heikki Kovalainen ahead of the Rally de España. “I think there’s enough of a fight for me just to try and get second place – that’s what I’ll try to do,” he added.
With the drivers’ title a two-horse race – Sordo is 23pts adrift of team-mate Loeb in third – Loeb is cautious about his title prospects, despite being on his preferred surface in Catalonia.
“It’s not a position I wanted to be in, but I can only accept it,” said the five-time WRC champion. “Here, more than anywhere else, we will be counting on Dani and Marc [Marti, Sordo’s co-driver]’s rearguard action, because Mikko Hirvonen only needs to come second twice to clinch the title.”
Current standings
Mikko Hirvonen (Finland), Ford – 78pts
Sébastien Loeb (France), Citroën – 73pts
Daniel Sordo (Spain), Citroën – 50pts
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