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Citroen drivers fight to end

LOUTRAKI, Greece - French driver Sebastien Ogier led home a Citroen 1-2 in the Acropols Rally on Sunday, round seven of the 2011 World Rally championship, ahead of compatriot and seven-times World champion Sebastien Loeb.

Loeb was not happy...

Ogier had started the final day behind Loeb after the latter grabbed the lead in a dramatic final special stage on Saturday. Ogier, however, overturned that deficit to beat Loeb by 10.5sec. He was second in 2010; this was his third win of the 2011 season.

"I'm really happy, this is perfect," said 27-year-old Ogier, who has won five rallies so far in his career. "It was a difficult - I had trouble at the beginning then I found my rhythm."

He also won the rally-ending power stage to score three bonus points in the World championship standings.

EQUAL TERMS NOW

Ogier said he owed a lot to the condition set down in his current contract - that he can compete with Loeb on equal terms.

"I had another offer when I extended my contract with Citroen," he said. "Being treated the same as Loeb was one of my conditions. Competing against him is already difficult enough; if he is given extra favours by the team it's mission impossible."

Ogier's equal status with Loeb was clear on Friday and Saturday's final special when the younger driver slowed to let Loeb take the lead the following day and clean the track - traditionally the most difficult start position. Loeb was reportedly furious with the team for allowing Ogier a free hand.

In the end Loeb had to console himself with his 100th career podium place, including 65 wins, and that he had thwarted Ford's plan to make up any ground on him in a race the team had won seven times since 2000.

Their best place was Mirko Hirvonen, 2010 winner. who came into the race 13 points behind Loeb and finished third; Norway's 2003 World champion Petter Solberg was fourth in a Citroen.

RELATIVELY HAPPY

Loeb now has a 17-point lead over Hirvonen with six rallies to go, three of them on his preferred asphalt (Germany, Alsace, Catalonia), so he still holds the whip hand for what could be an eighth consecutive World crown.

Loeb, though, was relatively happy with the result. "It was a huge fight. We gave our all and ended up losing by 10 seconds - we could not have done more. What I take away from this race most of all is that we 've scored points in a rally where it was imperative we should not lose any.

"We gained a few points on Hirvonen; is not a bad result but the circumstances during the race didn't really help my cause," added Loeb, referring to his starting first on Saturday and Sunday.

Loeb said the title was now three-horse race. "I've always said that Ogier was my main adversary but Hirvonen, contrary to expectations, is still there. The others are far behind - there is everything to play for between the three of us."

RESULTS

Results after the final day of the Acropolis Rally, seventh
leg of the World Rally championships, on Sunday

1 Sebastien Ogier (FRA) Citroen DS3 4hr04min44.3
2 Sebastien Loeb (FRA) Citroen DS3 +10.5
3 Mikko Hirvonen (FIN) Ford Fiesta RS +13.5,
4 Petter Solberg (NOR) Citroen DS3 +38.8
5 Henning Solberg (NOR) Ford Fiesta RS +5min24.7
6 Matthew Wilson (GBR) Ford Fiesta RS +6min54.7
7 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Citroen DS3 +8min29.4
8 Juho Hanninen (FIN) Skoda Fabia S2000 +11min34.7

Special stages winners
Ogier 6 (5,7,8,9,12,18)
Jari-Matti Latvala 5 (10,13,14,15,17)
P Solberg 4 (1,2,3,4)
Loeb 2 (6,11)
Hirvonen 1 (16)

Power stage (18) points
1 Ogier - 3
2 Loeb - 2
3 Hirvonen - 1

World championship standings

Drivers' points
1 Loeb (FRA) - 146
2 Hirvonen (FIN) - 129
3 Ogier (FRA) - 124
4 Latvala (FIN) - 76
5 P Solberg (NOR) - 73

Constructors' points
1 Citroen Racing - 250
2 Ford - 195
3 Stobart-Ford - 87
4 Petter Solberg WRT-  61
5 Ice1Racing - 34
6 Munchi's-Ford - 32
7 Abu Dhabi-Ford - 19
8 FERM-Ford - 14
9 Monster-Ford - 8
10 Brazil WRT - 1

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