Loeb snatches Acropolis Rally Greece lead on final Friday stage
Loeb was back to his brilliant best this morning despite low-lying sun – and pockets of choking dust – adding to the challenge of trying to safely find a way through the Greek countryside.
A brake warning light didn’t cost him too much time, either, nor did damage to the rear-left side of his Puma Rally1 car. He relinquished his grip on top spot on stages five and six when Loubet came of age, capitalising on his more favourable road position to claim – in quick succession – his first and second fastest times.
Although he had clearly come of age, Loubet could not hold on as Loeb traversed the end-of-day ‘Bauxites’ ten seconds faster than his countryman to lead by a mere 1.7 seconds even though he experienced a spectacular two-wheel moment late on.
“I decided to try really hard in this one because I was losing too much time in the last one and I didn’t feel too confident,” said the nine-time champion, “so I said, ‘Okay, I need to finish on a good rhythm’. There was a stone in the ground which I hit sideways and it lifted the car up – but it is no problem.”
Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Esapekka Lappi also lost out to Loeb’s late burst of speed as the Frenchman’s promotion up the leaderboard pushed the Finn back a place to third. It was still a decent day’s work for the Japaense team’s No.3 driver whose neat and tidy approach on rutted and rock-lined roads helped him claw back five positions in all.
Thierry Neuville, in fourth, lost touch with the two Pumas late on Friday as the Belgian struggled with the balance of his i20 N Rally. Understeer - a recurring theme of the 2022 campaign - also slowed him down but he expects to make gains tomorrow as he will run further back in the main Rally1 field. He led a Hyundai 1-2-3, with series returnee Dani Sordo in fifth and Ott Tanak sixth.
Both Sordo and Tanak had to endure their respective problems throughout the day - the toughest of the entire weekend - but the worst concerned Tanak; a loss of hybrid power made climbs “a bit of a struggle” for the 2019 World champion and meant he was unable to maintain his positive start alongside Martin Järveoja.
M-Sport’s Gus Greensmith had his confidence knocked by intermittent brake issues and that moved him into the clutches of an off-colour Elfyn Evans who was at a loss to explain why he could not get his GR Yaris Rally1 to work. In ninth, World Rally Championship points leader Kalle Rovanpera was another to suffer from running at the head of the field as grip was at a premium as all bar one of the Friday stages was repeated.
Toyota Junior driver Takamoto Katsuta will start day two in tenth and M-Sport Ford’s Craig Breen eleventh after the Irishman collected a puncture early doors and lost two minutes.
