Sardinia Rally

Rock leaves Loeb in a good place

The world champion Sébastien Loeb is one win away from equalling Carlos Sainz's record of 26 career victories, thanks to his fifth triumph of the season in the Sardinia Rally. This time, however, he owed his victory on the all-gravel event to a sharp stone - and the renowned strength of his Citroën Xsara WRC.

Ford's Marcus Gronholm was the quickest driver out of the box, taking 18 seconds out of Loeb on the first stage. By the end of the first day Gronholm had accumulated a lead of 35 seconds to which Loeb had no answer. But Gronholm's retirement on the second day, when a rock punctured the Ford's sump, turned the rally on its head. Loeb hit the same rock but his characteristic good fortune - and seemingly bullet-proof Xsara - ensured he got away with it.

From then on Loeb held a substantial advantage over Gronholm's team-mate, Mikko Hirvonen, to the finish. Hirvonen was delighted with his best result while Loeb secured a 31-point advantage in the title race. He can afford to retire from the next three rallies and still lead the championship.

Third position was fought out between Citroën's young protégé Dani Sordo and Italy's local hero Gigi Galli in a Peugeot. Sordo claimed the final podium place after Galli was forced to retire with a broken radiator at the end of the second day.

It was a tough event for the two main British hopes. The 19-year-old Matthew Wilson, the youngest man to compete on the full World Championship, suffered a series of mechanical problems that put his Ford Focus 76th and practically last on the first day. Bigger heartache awaited Guy Wilks, who led the Junior World Rally Championship class - for smaller-engined front-wheel-drive cars - from first day to three stages from the end. A broken oil pipe on his Suzuki Swift denied him a second consecutive class victory.

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