Loeb wins World Rally Championship

0 Comments | AFP, October, 2006

PERTH, Australia (AFP) — French driver Sebastien Loeb has been crowned world rally champion for the third year in a row despite sitting out Rally Australia with a broken arm. Finland's Mikko Hirvonen won Sunday's event while Marcus Gronholm, the only man capable of catching Loeb, saw his title hopes disappear when he failed to finish in the top four.

Hirvonen beat Subaru driver Petter Solberg by 37 seconds to win his first rally and strengthen Ford's grip on the manufacturers' championship with two races to go. Loeb followed the race on the Internet from his home in Geneva as Gronholm, who rolled his car on Friday, won 10 separate stages to fight back to fifth spot. Austria's Manfred Stohl finished third in a Peugeot with Citroen's Xevi Pons fourth. © 2006 AFP