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STRASBOURG, France - Sebastien Ogier took the lead at his home Rally of France on Friday as Citroen team mate Sebastien Loeb's title bid took a knock when he was forced to retire with engine problems.
And a Mini recalled the glory days of the brand by winning the first day of the rally.
LOEB OUT ON STAGE 3
Loeb, 37, won the opening stage in his native Alsace and had led after the first two stages before his car ground to a halt during special stage three.
And the French ace, who had been on the cusp of an eighth World Rally title, later admitted that he could not continue in the 11th leg of the 13-rally season.
"You can always have a doubt that it's not completely broken, but in my opinion it's no," said the seven-times World champion of his chances of continuing. "For the moment the engineers aren't saying much, they say that there was a swift drop in oil pressure, and they will have to examine it, but it's not very encouraging for Saturday.”
.
His team later confirmed that for the first time since Catalunya in 2004 the French driver was being forced out of a rally because of engine failure.
"We couldn't believe it because we're not used to that," Loeb continued. "The car always worked well, we've never had mechanical problems since the start of the season. Everything looked to be going well, it was sunny, the roads dry.
“I was leading and it ends quite badly."
WILL LOEB BE CAUGHT?
Special stage three proved no better for Citroen's arch-rival Ford, as both Loeb's leading title rival Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala went off the road but were able to continue and are sixth and seventh respectively.
Finland's Kimi Raikkonen crashed his Citroen while warming his tyres before SS3.
Loeb now risks being caught by Hirvonen who is only 15 points behind the Frenchman in the overall standings, and could catch him by finishing on the podium.
Ogier now also has a chance to rekindle his championship bid. He is 29 points behind Loeb but can take 28 points on Sunday - 25 from winning the rally and three in the final Power Stage around Loeb's home town of Haguenau.
Ogier won stages two and three to take a five-second advantage on Norwegian team mate Petter Solberg after the first four stages with Spaniard Dani Sordo third at 6.6sec in a Mini John Cooper Works.
Loeb leads the overall standings with 196 points, Hirvonen is second on 181 with Ogier third on 167.
EARLIER NEWS
World Rally champion Sebastien Loeb retired on the opening day of the French rally with engine failure on Friday, ending the Citroen driver's hopes of winning his home event, Round 11 of the series.
With title rival Mikko Hirvonen also losing time in his Ford, Loeb's French team mate Sebastien Ogier looked set to benefit when the event in Alsace finishes on Sunday.
Championship leader Loeb, 15 points ahead of Hirvonen in the standings with two rallies left after France, barely had time to enjoy the cheers of his adoring fans when he was sidelined on stage three while leading.
Finland's Hirvonen was delayed when he went off the road but Ogier, third in the standings, won the second and third stages and could move up to just a point behind Loeb having previously said his hopes were over.
Loeb, who crashed out of the previous rally in Australia, has won the last seven world titles.
Standings after Friday's eight special stages of the Rally of France, Round 11 of the World Rally championship
1 Dani Sordo (ESP/Mini John Cooper Works) 1hr23min02.1
2 Petter Solberg (NOR/Citroen DS3) +1.0
3 Sebastien Ogier (FRA/Citroen DS3) 2.8
4 Kris Meeke (GBR/Mini John Cooper Works) +54.5
5 Jari-Matti Latvala (FIN/Ford Fiesta RS) +1min13.7
6 Mikko Hirvonen (FIN/Ford Fiesta RS) +1min20.6
7 Armindo Araujo (POR/Mini John Cooper Works) +2min23.1
8 Mads Ostberg (NOR/Ford Fiesta RS) +2min36.8
9 Dennis Kuipers (NED/Ford Fiesta RS) +2min46.8
10 Henning Solberg (NOR/Ford Fiesta RS) +3min18.0
Special stage winners
Loeb 1 (SS1)
Ogier 3 (SS2, SS3, SS5)
Sordo 2 (SS6=, SS8) Latvala 1 (SS4)
Solberg SS6=, SS7)
DNF: Sebastien Loeb (FRA-MON/Citroën DS3), engine failure (SS3)
And a Mini recalled the glory days of the brand by winning the first day of the rally.
LOEB OUT ON STAGE 3
Loeb, 37, won the opening stage in his native Alsace and had led after the first two stages before his car ground to a halt during special stage three.
And the French ace, who had been on the cusp of an eighth World Rally title, later admitted that he could not continue in the 11th leg of the 13-rally season.
"You can always have a doubt that it's not completely broken, but in my opinion it's no," said the seven-times World champion of his chances of continuing. "For the moment the engineers aren't saying much, they say that there was a swift drop in oil pressure, and they will have to examine it, but it's not very encouraging for Saturday.”
.
His team later confirmed that for the first time since Catalunya in 2004 the French driver was being forced out of a rally because of engine failure.
"We couldn't believe it because we're not used to that," Loeb continued. "The car always worked well, we've never had mechanical problems since the start of the season. Everything looked to be going well, it was sunny, the roads dry.
“I was leading and it ends quite badly."
WILL LOEB BE CAUGHT?
Special stage three proved no better for Citroen's arch-rival Ford, as both Loeb's leading title rival Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala went off the road but were able to continue and are sixth and seventh respectively.
Finland's Kimi Raikkonen crashed his Citroen while warming his tyres before SS3.
Loeb now risks being caught by Hirvonen who is only 15 points behind the Frenchman in the overall standings, and could catch him by finishing on the podium.
Ogier now also has a chance to rekindle his championship bid. He is 29 points behind Loeb but can take 28 points on Sunday - 25 from winning the rally and three in the final Power Stage around Loeb's home town of Haguenau.
Ogier won stages two and three to take a five-second advantage on Norwegian team mate Petter Solberg after the first four stages with Spaniard Dani Sordo third at 6.6sec in a Mini John Cooper Works.
Loeb leads the overall standings with 196 points, Hirvonen is second on 181 with Ogier third on 167.
EARLIER NEWS
World Rally champion Sebastien Loeb retired on the opening day of the French rally with engine failure on Friday, ending the Citroen driver's hopes of winning his home event, Round 11 of the series.
With title rival Mikko Hirvonen also losing time in his Ford, Loeb's French team mate Sebastien Ogier looked set to benefit when the event in Alsace finishes on Sunday.
Championship leader Loeb, 15 points ahead of Hirvonen in the standings with two rallies left after France, barely had time to enjoy the cheers of his adoring fans when he was sidelined on stage three while leading.
Finland's Hirvonen was delayed when he went off the road but Ogier, third in the standings, won the second and third stages and could move up to just a point behind Loeb having previously said his hopes were over.
Loeb, who crashed out of the previous rally in Australia, has won the last seven world titles.
Standings after Friday's eight special stages of the Rally of France, Round 11 of the World Rally championship
1 Dani Sordo (ESP/Mini John Cooper Works) 1hr23min02.1
2 Petter Solberg (NOR/Citroen DS3) +1.0
3 Sebastien Ogier (FRA/Citroen DS3) 2.8
4 Kris Meeke (GBR/Mini John Cooper Works) +54.5
5 Jari-Matti Latvala (FIN/Ford Fiesta RS) +1min13.7
6 Mikko Hirvonen (FIN/Ford Fiesta RS) +1min20.6
7 Armindo Araujo (POR/Mini John Cooper Works) +2min23.1
8 Mads Ostberg (NOR/Ford Fiesta RS) +2min36.8
9 Dennis Kuipers (NED/Ford Fiesta RS) +2min46.8
10 Henning Solberg (NOR/Ford Fiesta RS) +3min18.0
Special stage winners
Loeb 1 (SS1)
Ogier 3 (SS2, SS3, SS5)
Sordo 2 (SS6=, SS8) Latvala 1 (SS4)
Solberg SS6=, SS7)
DNF: Sebastien Loeb (FRA-MON/Citroën DS3), engine failure (SS3)