Loeb extends Monte Carlo lead as battle for second rages

WITH five out of six fastest stage times, Sebastien Loeb (Citroen DS3) extended his overall lead in the Monte Carlo Rally to a minute and 37.2 seconds as the battle for second between Dani Sordo (MINI WRC) and Petter Solberg (Fiesta WRC) hotted up.

Solberg snatched the spot on yesterday’s opening test (S.S. 5) but Sordo regained the spot on S.S. 6 to move 10.3s clear. Mikko Hirvonen (Citroen DS3) climbed to fourth ahead of Evgeny Novikov (Fiesta WRC) and Sebastien Ogier (Skoda Fabia).

In the continuing battle for second, the pendulum swung back in favour of Solberg, who claimed he wasn’t taking any risks as he finished the loop 3.7 seconds ahead of Sordo. Up front, Loeb led by a minute and 23.2s. On the repeat loop, Sordo set a fastest time and regained second on the day’s final stage where Sebastien Ogier crashed his Skoda Fabia out of the rally.