WRC:Loeb maintaining the pressure on Gronholm

Plex

Based at a military range and a relatively short 12.71 kilometres in length, special stage 10 saw none of the drama witnessed last time out with the top four runners all maintaining position.

Sebastien Loeb however set the pace in his Citroen C4 WRC with a time of 7:59.1 pulling back 3.6 seconds on second placed Marcus Gronholm. The BP Ford duo of Gronholm and third fastest Mikko Hirvonen did not seem unduly concerned.

�I was little bit cautious, it is not an easy rally,� explained Gronholm while third fastest Hirvonen admitted he took it easy on the stage, �so no worries.�

Petter Solberg was fifth fastest in his Subaru Impreza and maintains his strong fourth position overall while Toni Gardemeister set the fourth fastest time, but his hopes of points were destroyed with his off in the last stage.

Henning Solberg maintained his half minute advantage over recovering Stobart Ford team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala who lost so much time yesterday after leaving service late and then missing his starting position. The duo were fifth and sixth fastest respectively and remain sixth and seventh in the overall standings.

Manfred Stohl set the eighth fastest time in his OMV Kronos Citroen ahead of Gigi Galli who remains fifth overall but has Henning Solberg closing in for the position with just 5.8s now between the two.

Mads Ostberg lost 15 minutes in this stage after going off twice in his Subaru WRC S110 and drops back from what was his 11th position overall. Matthew Wilson, 13th in the standings in his Stobart M-Sport Ford Focus was another victim and the stage.

The drivers now head to service before reconvening at 12.05 CET for the �Mountain' special stage.

RallyLive

More news:

Rory Phoulorie · Zorce Jedi Knight Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 1698

Overall times after SS10:

1. Mikko Hirvonen BP Ford Focus RS WRC 06 1hr 57mins 22.8secs M
2. Marcus Gronholm BP Ford Focus RS WRC 06 +00mins 19.7secs M
3. Sebastien Loeb Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC +00mins 27.0secs M
4. Petter Solberg Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2006 +02mins 05.3secs M
5. Gigi Galli Aimont Citroen Xsara WRC +03mins 00.5secs A8
6. Henning Solberg Stobart Ford Focus WRC 06 +03mins 06.5secs M
7. Jari-Matti Latvala Stobart Ford Focus WRC 06 +03mins 38.0secs M
8. Manfred Stohl OMV Kronos Citroen Xsara WRC +04mins 09.6secs M
9. Daniel Carlsson OMV Kronos Citroen Xsara WRC +04mins 39.8ecs M
10. Juho Hanninen MMSP Ltd Mitsubishi Lancer WR05 +05mins 02.2secs A8

11. Xavier Pons MMSP Ltd Mitsubishi Lancer WR05 +05mins 38.5secs A8
12. Andreas Mikkelsen Stobart Ford Focus RS WRC04 +07mins 12.3secs A8
13. Patrik Flodin Subaru Impreza +09mins 28.5secs N4
14. Eyvind Brynildsen Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +09mins 47.9secs N4
15. Andreas Aigner Red Bull Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 +14mins 06.5secs N4
16. Patrik Sandell Renault Clio R3 +15mins 42.6secs J
17. Hans-Erik Weng Subaru Impreza +16mins 41.2secs N4
18. Jorgen Solberg Subaru Impreza +18mins 25.6secs N4
19. Chris Atkinson Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2006 +19mins 55.6secs M
20. Mads Ostberg Adapta Subaru Impreza WRC +20mins 06.6secs A8

Like Petter might be stuck in 4th unless something drastic happens to the front runners? Sad

Rory Phoulorie · Zorce Jedi Knight Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 1698

Loeb crashes twice, drops outside top ten.

Sebastien Loeb has taken himself out of the running for victory in the Rally of Norway after crashing off on SS12 at Lillehammar and then again on SS13 as he attempted to make up the time he lost.

Having been running comfortably in third place, Loeb overshot a junction midway through the stage and crashed into a snow bank, but while he suffered no notable damage on his Citroen C4 he was unable to extricate himself and with no spectators around to help his cause, he was forced to concede a massive amount of time.

The loss of time had dropped Loeb down to eleventh place, almost nine minutes off the lead and even some two minutes away from the points paying positions currently occupied by Xevi Pons.

However, in an attempt to make up some lost ground and fight for a possible point, Loeb admits he pushed too hard and went off again, dropping a further nine minutes to put him some 17 minutes off the lead and well outside the top ten.

Mikko Hirvonen continues to lead, twenty seconds up on Ford team-mate Marcus Gronholm, who in turn is now over three minutes up on Petter Solberg, with Henning Solberg fourth � just nine seconds off his brother after slashing the margin through SS12 -, Jari-Matti Latvala fifth, Manfred Stohl sixth, Gigi Galli seventh and Pons eighth.

http://www.crash.net/news_view~t~Loeb-crashes-twice--drops-outside-top-ten-~cid~4~id~143367.htm

He does make mistakes after all!!!

Rory Phoulorie · Zorce Jedi Knight Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 1698

Leg 2 standings - Rally Norway.

Mikko Hirvonen continues to lead Rally Norway at the end of leg two, just under 20 seconds clear of BP Ford team-mate Marcus Gronholm. Petter Solberg is third for Subaru but well behind the front two and under pressure from brother Henning in fourth. Jari-Matti Latvala is fifth with Manfred Stohl rounding out the top six. World champion Seb Loeb is only 18th.

Overall times after SS14 / Leg 2 (top 20):

1. Mikko Hirvonen BP Ford Focus RS WRC 06 2hr 33mins 45.2secs M
2. Marcus Gronholm BP Ford Focus RS WRC 06 +00mins 19.2secs M
3. Petter Solberg Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2006 +03mins 48.2secs M
4. Henning Solberg Stobart Ford Focus WRC 06 +03mins 58.2secs M
5. Jari-Matti Latvala Stobart Ford Focus WRC 06 +05mins 16.9secs M
6. Manfred Stohl OMV Kronos Citroen Xsara WRC +06mins 11.2secs M
7. Gigi Galli Aimont Citroen Xsara WRC +06mins 21.8secs A8
8. Xavier Pons MMSP Ltd Mitsubishi Lancer WR05 +08mins 01.8secs A8
9. Daniel Carlsson OMV Kronos Citroen Xsara WRC +08mins 23.2ecs M
10. Jan Kopecky Czech RT-Skoda Kopecky Fabia WRC +09mins 43.1secs A8
11. Rune Dalsjo Subaru Impreza S9 +10mins 35.3secs A8
12. Patrik Flodin Subaru Impreza +11mins 51.8secs N4
13. Andreas Mikkelsen Stobart Ford Focus RS WRC04 +11mins 58.1secs A8
14. Eyvind Brynildsen Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +12mins 48.1secs N4
15. Juho Hanninen MMSP Ltd Mitsubishi Lancer WR05 +12mins 50.5secs A8
16. Tord Linnerud Ford Focus +14mins 35.8secs A8
17. P-G Andersson Suzuki Swift S1600 +15mins 58.2secs J
18. Sebastien Loeb Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC +17mins 54.9secs M
19. Andreas Aigner Red Bull Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 +18mins 42.0secs N4
20. Anders Kjaer Peugeot 307 WRC +20mins 56.2secs A8

Others:

23. Chris Atkinson Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2006 +23mins 14.3secs M
25. Toni Gardemeister MMSP Ltd Mitsubishi Lancer WR05 +25mins 09.8secs A8
36. Matthew Wilson Stobart Ford Focus WRC 06 +32mins 09.6secs A8
38. Daniel Sordo Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC +33mins 00.4secs M

Overall JRC after SS14 / Leg 2 (top eight):

1. P-G Andersson Suzuki Swift S1600 2hr 49mins 43.4secs J
2. Patrik Sandell Renault Clio R3 +05mins 54.9secs J
3. Urmo Aava Suzuki Swift S1600 +15mins 39.2secs J
4. Jaan Molder Suzuki Swift S1600 +16mins 18.5secs J
5. Aaron Burkart Citroen C2 +19mins 48.2secs J
6. Trond Svenkerud Ford Fiesta ST +22mins 52.4secs J
7. Andrea Cortinovis Renault Clio +24mins 49.5secs J
8. Shaun Gallager Citroen C2 R2 +27mins 30.4secs J

Notable retirements*:

SS9. Daniel Sordo Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC Unknown M
SS9. Guy Wilks Ford Focus WRC 05 Off road A8
SS10. Matthew Wilson Stobart Ford Focus WRC 06 Suspension A8

M - denotes Manufacturer entry.
J - denotes Junior RC entry.

all times unofficial

http://www.crash.net/news_view~t~Leg-2-standings---Rally-Norway-~cid~4~id~143375.htm

Well at least Petter and Subaru are on the podium, for now!

Plex · Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 12:39 pm Post subject:

Not very good news there for the Citroen..Better luck next time.. Sad