| Loeb wins classic Wales Rally GB* | |||||
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| Loeb wins classic Wales Rally GB* | |||||
| Les Kolczak | |||||
| © worldrallypics.com | |||||
| 7 December 2008, 2:40 pm | |||||
| An ecstatic Sebastien Loeb has won out in a nail-biting finale to Wales Rally GB. | |||||
| The Provisional Overall Classification after Day Three can be viewed HERE
An incredible battle raged between Loeb (Citroen) and Jari-Matti Latvala (Ford) throughout the event, with the pair unable to back off for a moment despite the threat of the treacherous conditions. In the end the fight came down to a final stage showdown that had the thousands of fans that lined the stage on their feet. The pair entered the stage with Latvala leading Loeb by 2.2s. After the 20.09km test though the gap was 2.7s – with an ecstatic Loeb ahead. The result marks Loeb’s record-breaking 11th win of the season. “This one was really enjoyable – such a good fight with Jari-Matti. I tried everything I could in that last stage. Wow!” Latvala said: “I couldn’t have driven better. The best man won.” There was also a final twist when an earlier jump-start penalty given to Loeb was removed. That added ten seconds to his winning margin – a gap that would have made the final stage far more relaxing had he known about it at the time. The result also confirms Citroen as 2008 Manufacturers Champions in the WR, a result helped by Dani Sordo’s third place in Wales. TOP TEN AFTER LEG ONE: Production Car World Rally Championship The result was decided in Flodin’s favour when Sandell stopped 5km into the final stage of the rally with a broken engine. “Wow! Thanks to all the team,” said Flodin. “They’ve done an extremely good job. It is such a great feeling to win the class.” Andreas Aigner (Mitsubishi) took second in the standings – enough for him to be crowned Production Car World Rally Champion. “I’m just so pleased to get to the end and get the title wrapped up,” said AIgner. Third place in the Production standings went to Britain’s Guy Wilks (Mitsubishi). He had led the class early on but was slowed by turbo problems, and then decided to concentrate on his British Rally Championship title ambitions. British Rally Championship news The result ends a roller-coaster year for Wilks, who is co-driven by Welshman Phil Pugh, and his Mitsubishi team. The result, plus the efforts of team-mate Gwyndaf Evans, also confirms Mitsubishi Motors UK as the 2008 Teams champions. With Pugh not contesting the full season due to a back injury, Mark Higgins’ co-driver Rory Kennedy is the 2008 Co-driver’s champion. Builth Wells-based driver Jason Pritchard won the Citroen C2-R2 Cup division of the British championship on Wales Rally GB.
After suffering flu for much of the event, Yurdakul was overcome with emotion at the end of the event. “It’s the happiest day of my life,” he said. “This is worth all the sacrifices. The whole season has been so tough. Four years ago competing was a dream and now I am champion!” He wins a test drive in a Ford Focus World Rally Car with tuition from world champion Marcus Gronholm as a result. The test is scheduled for next week. Other news He and co-driver Gemma Price beat media guru Tony Jardine and his journalist co-driver David Smith by almost 15 minutes after a near trouble-free run. “It has been a long week but I can’t believe what we’ve achieved. We have won the class and really that’s just a bonus. I just wish dad was here to see it as he has done so much to help.” *This report is subject to all cars reaching the Cardiff finish |
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