
Mikko Hirvonen has lost the lead of Wales Rally GB after stopping midway through SS7: Dyfnant 1 (21.34 kilometres) The Finn began the test with a 0.4s lead over his title rival Sebastien Loeb, but stopped his Ford Fiesta RS WRC at the 10 kilometre point. Citroen's Sebastien Loeb has reclaimed the lead of Wales Rally GB after Ford's Mikko Hirvonen hit trouble on the event's seventh stage. Hirvonen is understood to have gone off the road in his Fiesta RS WRC damaging a rear wheel and the radiator, which has been punctured by a tree branch. The Finn stopped at the 10-kilometre point in the stage after the engine began to overheat. Although he managed to reach the stage finish, there is a very real concern within the Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team that he might not be able to complete the 103.62-kilometre road section back to service in Builth Wells. Hirvonen was almost four minutes slower than Loeb through the stage. His hopes of his first world title are in tatters as a result with Loeb now leading the world championship qualifier by 17.7s from Ford's Jari-Matti Latvala. "I found it very tricky," said Loeb. "There was quite a lot of fog and mud so it was really difficult. We had a few moments but finally we are here. Now we have to see what happens with Mikko. Everything is possible." Sebastien Loeb celebrate the 8th time World Rally Champion =)
Sebastien
Loeb
Citroën
DS3
WRC
Rally
wales
2011
GB
great
britain
world
championship
Mikko
Hirvonen
Ford
Fiesta
RS
crash
World Rally Championship
United Kingdom
Rallying
Great Britain
Sébastien Loeb
decider
sergioafonso
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