Loeb wins record fifth world title

[Duma]

Citroen's Sebastien Loeb clinched a record fifth world title in a row after surviving a late spin to finish third in the Japan Rally.

RALLY - Sebastian Loeb 2008 historischer WM-Triumph - 0

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* Rally Gallery

* Final Standings

 

Rival Mikko Hirvonen led Jari-Matti Latvala in a Ford one-two but it was not enough to keep the title race alive.

 

"It's incredible," Loeb said. "But that was a terrible rally -- it couldn't have been more tricky. There was a lot of pressure but now it's a great moment. It's perfect.

 

"I'm so relieved this weekend is over now. Last year (co-driver) Daniel (Elena) and I equalled the record with four wins, so being the only ones with five is nice."

 

A spin on the penultimate stage almost cost the Frenchman third place and his hopes of glory in Sapporo as torrential rain made conditions treacherous.

 

"I spun a few hundred metres before the finish," said Loeb. "I was doing about 50kph in a straight line and then 'Bang!' -- it just went.

 

"We had to reverse and get going again. I lost the electronic differential control because of the water everywhere."

 

However, Loeb recovered to finish more than a minute clear of Subaru's Chris Atkinson in fourth.

 

Hirvonen won by 31.1 seconds from fellow Finn Latvala but paid tribute to the 34-year-old Loeb for another dominant season.

 

"He definitely deserved it," said Hirvonen. "Everybody can see he won 10 rallies this year. I did all I could. I will just have to try again next year."

 

Loeb had wanted to secure the title in Japan in order to drive flat-out in the last race in Britain later this month in a bid to break his own record of 10 wins in a season.

 

"I wanted to go to Wales with a totally free mind," he said.

 

"That made the weekend very long and very frustrating, and I have to say that it wasn't much fun.

 

"We did what we could to keep any thoughts about the championship out of our minds but it wasn't easy. The title just seemed to loom larger after every stage - it was well worth the wait in the end."

 

Friday's first leg began frustratingly for Loeb until a high-speed crash involving Ford driver Francois Duval gave the Frenchman third spot.

 

Duval's accident left his co-driver Patrick Pivato badly injured and needing surgery for a fractured pelvis and tibia, and caused the afternoon's stages to be cancelled.

 

Loeb, dubbed the "Michael Schumacher of rallying" for his stranglehold over the sport, has won a record 46 races during a career that began in 1999.

 

"We have achieved half the target we set ourselves this season," said Citroen team boss Olivier Quesnel. "Now we must refocus with a view to wrapping up the manufacturers' title.

 

Factbox on Sebastien Loeb:

 

* The 34-year-old Frenchman (born February 26, 1974) surpasses retired Finnish great Tommi Makinen as the only driver to win five titles in a row. Makinen was champion from 1996-99.

 

* Loeb, with co-driver Daniel Elena, has won a record 46 rallies in a world championship career that started in 1999. All his wins have been with Citroen.

 

* A gymnast before taking up rally driving, he is only the second Frenchman to have won the world title after 1994 champion Didier Auriol.

 

* Loeb broke his arm in a mountain-biking accident with four races left and while 35 points ahead of the field in the 2006 season. He won that title when his nearest rival, Marcus Gronholm, could only finish fifth in Australia.

 

* The Citroen driver has been dubbed the 'Michael Schumacher of Rallying', his stranglehold on the sport comparable to that exerted by the German seven-times world champion at his peak in Formula One.

 

* Has already matched his 10 victories in 2005 this season with one race remaining. He has won at least three races in every year since 2003, when he almost took the title in his first full season.

 

* He took his first win in Germany in 2002 after joining Citroen as French rally champion in 2001.

[Duma]

Overall times after SS29 / Day 3 - Top 20:

 

1. Mikko Hirvonen BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC 08 3hours 25mins 03.0secs M

 

2. Jari-Matti Latvala BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC 08 +00mins 31.1secs M

 

3. Sebastien Loeb Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC +02mins 30.6secs M

 

4. Chris Atkinson Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2008 +03mins 43.0secs M

 

5. P-G Andersson Suzuki WRT SX4 WRC +05mins 12.9secs M

 

6. Toni Gardemeister Suzuki WRT SX4 WRC +06mins 09.4secs M

 

7. Matthew Wilson Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 +07mins 05.3secs MT

 

8. Petter Solberg Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2008 +13mins 19.9secs M

 

9. Federico Villagra Munchi's Ford Focus WRC 07 +15mins 40.8secs MT

 

10. Dani Sordo Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC +17mins 08.5secs M

 

11. Juho Hanninen Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 +18mins 27.4secs P

 

12. Evgeny Novikov Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +18mins 33.7secs P

 

13. Toshi Arai Subaru Impreza WRX STi +18mins 36.6secs P

 

14. Eyvind Brynildsen Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +22mins 15.2secs P

 

15. Takuma Kamada Subaru Impreza WRX STi +22mins 50.5secs P

 

16. Mirco Baldacci Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +25mins 08.0secs P

 

17. Katsuhiko Taguchi Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X +26mins 02.1secs P

 

18. Fumio Nutahara Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X +32mins 06.3secs P

 

19. Eiichi Iwashita Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +32mins 50.0secs N4

 

20. Haruo Oshima Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +42mins 40.0secs N4

 

Overall PWRC after SS29 / Day 3 - Top 10:

 

1. Juho Hanninen Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 3hours 43mins 30.4secs P

 

2. Evgeny Novikov Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +00mins 06.3secs P

 

3. Toshi Arai Subaru Impreza WRX STi +00mins 09.2secs P

 

4. Eyvind Brynildsen Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +03mins 47.8secs P

 

5. Takuma Kamada Subaru Impreza WRX STi +04mins 23.1secs P

 

6. Mirco Baldacci Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +06mins 40.6secs P

 

7. Katsuhiko Taguchi Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X +07mins 34.7secs P

 

8. Fumio Nutahara Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X +13mins 48.9secs P

 

9. Armindo Araujo Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +29mins 56.3secs P

 

10. Stefano Marrini Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +41mins 29.5secs P

 

Notable retirements:

 

SS1. Conrad Rautenbach PH Sport-Citroen C4 WRC Went off the road. A8*

 

SS2. Hiroshi Yanagisawa Subaru Impreza WRX STi Engine. P

 

SS6. Daniel Sordo Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC Turbo. M*

 

SS6. Francois Duval Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 Crashed. MT

 

SS17. Henning Solberg Munchi's Ford Focus WRC 07 Suspension. MT*

 

SS18/SS19. Petter Solberg Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2008 Went off the road. M*

 

SS23. Henning Solberg Munchi's Ford Focus WRC 07 Suspension. MT

 

SS23. Conrad Rautenbach PH Sport-Citroen C4 WRC Went off the road. A8

 

SS23. Naren Kumar Subaru Impreza WRX STi Retired P

 

SS23. Jari Ketomaa Subaru Impreza WRX STi Retired N4

 

SS24. Martin Rauam Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX Retired P

 

* denotes elected/able to re-start under SupeRally format.

 

M - denotes Manufacturer entry.

 

MT - denotes Manufacturer Team entry.

 

P - denotes Production Car WRC entry.

[Duma]

:notworthy::notworthy::notworthy::notworthy::notworthy::notworthy::notworthy:

 

 

 

 

[Duma]

5 puta za redom svjetski prvak...46 pobijeda... Sainz ima oko 24 ako se ne varam a on je bio rekorder

[Don-0007]

Loeb + Citroen = nepobjediva kombinacija... teško da će ga tko skinuti s trona i sljedeće sezone... :punk:

[Gabre]

smršavio je malo :huh:

 

prije bio bucmast :happy:

 

o da, i svaka mu čast na prvenstvu, trenutno nedostižan. :notworthy:

[Rudy]

Velemajstor,svaka mu dala vode iz bunara :lol:

Evo i jedan filmić iz 2007 kad testira auto

 

 

 

btw ja bi taj autić