Rally: Loeb dominates to take win

Oct 23 2005 icWales

Sebastien Loeb won every stage to take a dominant win on home ground in the Tour of Corsica.

The world champion was never threatened throughout the three days and completed a clean sweep of stage wins to win by nearly two minutes from Ford’s Toni Gardemeister, his ninth victory of a remarkable season.

Loeb was the class of the field from stage one on Friday and, despite being unable to come close to the world champion, Gardemeister was proud of taking the best-of-the-rest title, equalling the best result of his career.

“It means a lot to me to be second behind a driver who was fastest on every stage,” said the Finn. “It’s my best asphalt performance.

“I felt sure I could take a good result because I knew the Focus is a great car on asphalt and I quickly realised that if I didn’t make any mistakes, then everything would be fine.”

Citroen’s perfect day was only spoiled by Francois Duval’s retirement, which kept Peugeot’s manufacturers’ championship hopes alive.

Duval had been running second before brake problems hit his challenge yesterday but matters got worse today when he was forced into a retirement which scuppered Citroen’s chances of wrapping up the manufacturers’ title early.

Duval’s troubles helped Subaru’s Petter Solberg reach the podium in third place despite a difficult rally while team-mate and ex-Formula One driver Stephane Sarrazin took an excellent fourth place.

Roman Kresta was fifth in the second Ford, with Skoda’s Alex Bengue taking world championship points for sixth.

Bengue became just the second Skoda driver to claim a top-eight finish, eclipsing Colin McRae’s Rally GB seventh place for the Czech minnows with a consistent performance.

“This was a fantastic result for me and for the team,” said Bengue. “I’m really pleased with how the car performed and how we were able to fight.

“I’m very happy to have given the team its best result of the season on such a difficult rally.”

Privateer Citroen driver Xavier Pons was seventh and Peugeot’s Nicolas Bernardi eighth, helped by a string of retirements ahead of him.

In the junior championship, Daniel Sordo took second place to take control of the title battle.

Northern Irishman Kris Meeke, driving a Citroen, finished eighth to end his title challenge while Darlington’s Guy Wilks missed this weekend as his mandatory dropped rally, slipping eight points behind Sordo with just one event left. Marco Baldacci won the class.