Maximum points for Loeb

Reigning World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb won the 2012 WRC opener Rally Monte Carlo. Together with his codriver Daniel Elena Loeb was 2,45 minutes ahead of the closest competitor, in a Citroën DS3 WRC. Second fastest was Spaniard Dani Sordo in a Mini and third Petter Solberg in his Ford-comeback.

Sébastien Loeb demonstrated his skil by winning also the Power Stage giving him three extra WRC-points, maximum 28 points. This was his sixth victory in Rally Monte Carlo.

Behind the top three – all in different makes – were Mikko Hirvonen, Citroën, Evgeny Novikov, Ford, Francois Delecour, Ford, Pierre Campana, Mini, Ott Tänak, Ford, Martin Prokop, Ford and Armindo Araujo, Mini.

Ford´s first driver Jari-Matti Latvala made an impressing start but had to resign on the first day.

Unfortunately the only Swede in the rally had to retire. In a clear lead of the S2000 and SWRC-class Per-Gunnar Andersson and Emil Axelsson had to resign with only two stages left. Their Proton Satrina Neo S2000 burst into flames.

– It started with a fuel leakage and suddenly in a hairpin the car blew, a disappointed Per-Gunnar Andersson reported on his website.

Last year´s Junior WRC Champion , Craig Breen, won the SWRC-class and the PWRC- class was won by Michal Kosciuszko.

Photo: McKlein