WRC Rally France Preview - Can
Loeb clinch title #9 at home?
by Martijn Kösters
Just three rounds remain in the
2012 World Rally Championship, and the title chase could all be over
on sunday. Only Mikko Hirvonen can beat Sebastien Loeb to the title,
but even that will not only come down to him. Loeb goes into his home
event with a 61 point lead. With the notion that a maximum of 56
points remain in the championship after the French round (2x 25 for a
win, 2x 3 for Power Stage Win), a win for Hirvonen would not
neccesarily mean that he could still take the title, as Loeb can
comfortably finish second, win the power stage and take yet another
title.
The odds are very much
against Mikko Hirvonen, not only does he challenge the one man who
has been reigning the WRC since 2004. He also takes on Loeb at home
turf, who was born in the Alsace region. One factor might give
Hirvonen some hope, Loeb did not win here last year due to an engine
failure.
Action starts this afternoon
(Thursday) with a small stage in Strasbourg, with real stages being
driven throughout Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning. In total the
rally consists of 22 tarmac stages with a combined length of 404
kilometers. Friday will see two equal loops of three stages:
Hohlandsbourg(28km), Vallee de Munster(22) and Soltzeren(20), with
the Mulhouse stage as added extra to the Friday.
Saturday starts a bit earlier
around 8.30 CET with the Massif des Grands Crus-Ungersberg stage of
18km, followed directly by the longest stage of the rally Pays
d'Ormont (43.45km). Pays de la Haute Bruche (24) and Klevener (11)
complete the loop of four stages, which will be run twice.
The
Sunday sees perhaps a different style to which we are used to. Six
stages, all be it shorter than the rest, will be run without Service
half way through. At 9.23 CET the Vignoble de Cleebourg (17) kicks
off, followed by Bischweiler (8) and Sebastien Loeb's home town
stage: Hagenau (6). These three stages will be run twice, but without
a service.
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