LOEB DRIVING FINE LINE IN WALES

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Dec 7, 2008 | by GEOFF JOYNER

FORD'S Jari-Matti Latvala stretched his lead over Citroen's Sebastien Loeb yesterday, in the second leg of the season-ending Wales Rally GB.

Frenchman Loeb has already clinched his fifth drivers' title in a row.

But his team need to score seven points in the season-ending round in Britain to be sure of taking the manufacturers' crown from Ford.

With that in mind, Loeb could afford to allow the Finn to pull clear and play safe in second place, seven seconds adrift, with his own Citroen team-mate Dani Sordo third and a further 20 seconds behind after Special Stage 15.

Norway's former champion Petter Solberg was in fourth place for Subaru.

Loeb, who has never won in Britain, told the official wrc.com website at service after the 11th stage: "It's tricky but I'm driving like I feel.

"I'm just trying to find a comfortable rhythm - but if I slow down too much I risk losing confidence, and don't have full control of the car.

"So I prefer to stay concentrated and stay in my usual rhythm.

We're still having some big moments!"

Ford's Mikko Hirvonen, winner in Wales last year, put himself out of contention for victory when he rolled his car and lost more than four minutes on Friday. But he has clawed his way back into ninth.

Italy's Valentino Rossi, the charismatic MotoGP world motorbike champion, driving a Ford in his third competitive appearance in the rally world championship, was in 15th place.

Rossi said: "Compared to yesterday these stages are better - more normal! There's still some ice around but it's not like yesterday. Today it's possible to enjoy things more."

Overall leaders after Special Stage 15:1. Jari-Matti Latvala (Fin) Ford 1hr 47mins 52.400secs, 2. Sebastien Loeb (Fra) Citroen 1:47:59.700, 3. Dani Sordo (Spa) Citroen 1:48:20.300, 4. Petter Solberg (Nor) Subaru 1:48:44.900, 5. Per-Gunnar Andersson (Swe) Suzuki 1:49:58.500, 6. Henning Solberg (Nor) Ford 1:50:01.700, 7. Francois Duval (Bel) Ford 1:50:22.000, 8. Toni Gardemeister (Fin) Skoda 1:51:25.400, 9. Mikko Hirvonen (Fin) Ford 1:52:36.900, 10. Mat thew Wilson (Gbr) Ford 1:52:41.900