The ADAC Rally Deutschland returns to the WRC calendar this weekend. As the drivers prepare for the second asphalt event of the season, we run through who we think will be in contention come Sunday...
Sébastien Loeb (France)
With four rally wins to his name already this year, Loeb enjoys a 48-point lead over soon-to-be team-mate Sebastien Ogier. The Frenchman finished third in Finland but will be confident he can make it five wins in Germany. Since the rally was added to the WRC calendar in 2002, he has helped himself to seven straight wins, including the most recent event in 2008.
Mikko Hirvonen (Finland)
Hirvonen was leading the last round – his home rally – when he crashed out on the fourth stage, losing control on one of the event’s trademark high-speed jumps and rolling his car five times. Having not won since the opening round in Sweden, he will be hoping to get his world title challenge back on track at an event he admits he has a love-hate relationship with.
Citroën Sport Photos
Kimi Räikkönen (Finland)
Kimi impressed on the first day of the last asphalt rally in Bulgaria, running fourth overall until a crash on stage four. However, the Finn isn’t getting carried away ahead of round nine in Germany and is concentrating solely on the experience he will gain from the rally in what is still only his ninth WRC event.
Dani Sordo (Spain)
Sordo arrives in Germany back in his usual car but with a new co-driver in Diego Vallejo, who takes over from Marc Marti. The 27-year-old is confident Vallejo can adapt quickly in Germany, and has insisted he parted from Marti on friendly terms. After finishing second here in 2006 and 2008, Sordo will be confident of a positive result.
Petter Solberg (Norway)
Solberg is fourth in the overall standings after a fourth-place finish in Finland last time out, and with rain forecast for Friday the Norwegian is confident his rain-hit test session could pay dividends in Germany. However, after suffering a huge accident on the rally in 2004 while driving for Subaru, he has also vowed not to take any unnecessary risks this weekend.
Citroën Sport Photos
Sébastien Ogier (France)
Ogier returns to his Citroën Junior Team car after finishing second in Finland in the no 2 C4 WRC. The Frenchman is currently second in the overall standings, and has no experience of Germany in a WRC car – however, Ogier and co-driver Julien Ingrassia did win the Junior World Rally Championship classification here in 2008, driving a Citroën C2 Super 1600.
Jari-Matti Latvala (Finland)
Latvala secured a place in the record books when he became the youngest winner of Rally Finland last time out, and also moved up to third in the drivers’ standings. However, after six starts in Germany his best finish remains the eighth place he managed in 2007.
For more ahead of the Rally Germany, head to our dedicated event page.
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