MacHale leads Irish challenge in rain-hit Rally Ireland

Rally Ireland kicked off the World Rally Championship in torrential rain, a new a season brings fresh hope but on today's six stages, Sebastien Loeb, the five-time World Rally champion, illustrated, yet again, that he's the one they all have to beat in '09.

Fri, 30 Jan, 2009 - 19:33

The opening stage near Manorhamilton saw Jari Matti Latvala in the driving seat, he was one of the few that selected the snow tyre for his jaunt down the 22 kilmoetre test.

Amazingly, it paid dividends and his Ford Focus ended the test 17.6 seconds faster than Estonian, Urmo Aava also in a Ford Focus.

Irish driver, Niall McShea was a sensational third in his new Proton Satria S2000 car.

Interestingly, Loeb was down in sixth - he decided to back off and not take any risks in the wet conditions.

On the second test, Latvala's Focus punctured twice, broke a track control arm and a driveshaft and he was out for today, he re-enters tomorrow under Super Rally Rules.

So too will Niall McShea, as his drive ended with an ECU problem on the third stage.

Aava led at the Sligo service, by then, Loeb had closed to within 6.7 seconds with Mikko Hirvonen third.

Out on the second loop, Leob, with a switch to the snow tyre, was unstoppable and moved into the lead on Stage 4.

By the completion of the loop, he was 44.4 seconds clear of his team mate, Dani Sordo.

Mikko Hirvonen, in a Ford Focus, is third - 20.4 seconds behind followed by Henning Solberg, who has gearbox trouble.

Gareth MacHale in ninth, is the top Irish driver, his Ford Focus in 49.4 seconds ahead of the Subaru of Eamonn Boland, who is tenth.

Another Irish driver, Alan Ring in a Mitsubishi, leads the Group N category.

With the cancellation of the tonight's two stages, due to flooding, Sebastien Loeb leads by 44.4 seconds at the end of Day 1 of Rally Ireland.

1. S. Loeb/D. Elena (Citroen) 1h. 09m. 35.2s.

2. D. Sordo/M. Marti (Citroen) 1h. 10m. 19.6s.

3. M. Hirvonen/J. Lehtinen (Ford Focus) 1h. 10m. 40.0s.

4. H. Solberg/C. Menkerud (Ford Focus) 1h. 12m. 44.6s.