World Rally Championship leader Sebastien Loeb of France won six of eight stages on day two of the Rally of New Zealand, rising from seventh place to second yesterday, 5.3 seconds behind Citroen teammate Sebastien Ogier.
Six-times world champion Loeb started the day 1 minute, 19.8 seconds off the lead held by Norway’s Petter Solberg and had trailed by more than 1 minute, 40 seconds after crashing on the fourth of nine stages on Friday.
He steadily made up ground on the last five stages on the opening day and continued a remarkable charge through the field Saturday, winning the day’s first three stages. Loeb was positioned to win his fourth straight round of this year’s world championship and claim the Rally New Zealand title for the third time.
PHOTO: EPA
“I think it was my greatest rally day,” Loeb said. “It was incredible. We drove flat out everywhere in every stage. I don’t know what will happen tomorrow, but I should get in the points.”
Loeb won the day’s first stage by 4.1 seconds from Ogier, the second by 6.1 seconds from his compatriot and teammate and the third by a remarkable 22 seconds, moving within 38.5 seconds of the overall lead.
He was narrowly second behind Ogier in the fourth, super special stage then won the fifth stage by 10.4 seconds to move to third place, 28.3 seconds off the lead.
“I’m pushing as hard as I can,” Loeb said. “I’m trying hard to make up for yesterday.”
Loeb moved to second behind Ogier when he won the sixth stage by 8.7 seconds and cut more deeply into Ogier’s lead when he was fastest by 14.5 seconds on the day’s seventh stage. He came in only 0.2 seconds behind Ogier on the day’s final, 4.8km, super special stage to move within challenging distance of the lead with four stages remaining on the last day today.
Finland’s Jari-Matti Latvala, driving a Ford, was third and 33.2 seconds from the leader. Overnight leader Solberg, in a privateer Citroen campaign, dropped back to fifth at the end of the second day, 53.6 seconds behind Ogier.
Ogier thought it would be difficult to hold off the hard-charging Loeb today.
“I’ve had a good rally for the moment, but it’s still a long way to go,” he said. “It will be hard to conserve the lead, but I will do my best.”
Loeb seemed to have lost all chance to win the rally on Friday when he took a right hand bend too fast and slewed sideways into a railway bridge. He was narrowly prevented from rolling down a steep embankment onto railway tracks and sparked a small scrub fire when he restarted his engine.
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