Germany 2010

WITH SEBASTIEN LOEB AND DANIEL ELENA BEING THE ONLY CREW WHO HAVE EVER WON THIS RALLY, WHO WOULD DARE BET AGAINST THEM REPEATING THEIR PREVIOUS SEVEN VICTORIES ON THIS NOMINALLY ASPHALT SURFACE THAT CAN CHANGE TO CONCRETE, GRAVEL OR MUD IN AN INSTANT!

CLEARLY, THE OTHER CREWS WERE DETERMINED TO PREVENT THE WORLD CHAMPIONS BUT VARIOUS MISHAPS ACCOUNT FOR MOST OF THE CHALLENGERS. PETTER SOLBERG SET OFF ON SS1 AS IF HE MEANT BUSINESS (NOTHING NEW THERE!) BUT SUFFERED A PUNCTURE THAT, EVENTUALLY, NEEDED THE WHEEL TO BE CHANGED - LOSS OF 2½ MINUTES BEFORE THE RALLY HAD REALLY BEGUN! LATER THAT DAY HE SUFFERED ANOTHER THAT ALSO REQUIRED A WHEEL CHANGE. HE DID WELL TO FINISH 5TH AT THE END OF THE RALLY.

MIKKO HIRVONEN DROPPED DOWN THE ORDER AS TIME WENT ON AND EVENTUALLY HE SUFFERED A COMPLETE DRIVE FAILURE AND HAD TO PUSH THE CAR OFF THE ROAD AND RETIRE. JARI-MATTI LATVALA DROVE WELL BUT WITH THE RETIREMENT OF HIRVONEN HE HAD TO PLAY SAFE. KIMI RAIKKONEN, BACK ON TARMAC, SHOWED MORE PROMISE AND WAS UNLUCKY TO BE PIPPED FOR 6TH BY MATTHEW WILSON BUT NEVERTHELESS HIS 7TH PLACE (AND FIRST STAGE WIN ON THE FINAL SUPER SPECIAL STAGE AROUND THE TOWN) WAS THE HIGHEST HE HAS ACHIEVED SO FAR.

FRANCOIS DUVAL, A TARMAC SPECIALIST, WAS BACK IN A W.R.C. CAR FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2 YEARS AS A PRIVATEER AND WAS DONG NICELY UNTIL THE STAGE THROUGH THE TANK RANGE WHEN HE SLID OFF, HIT ONE OF THE 'HINKLESTEINS', WHICH CAN STOP TANKS LET ALONE CARS, AND THAT WAS THAT.

LOEB'S BIGGEST CHALLENGE CAME FROM WITHIN HIS OWN TEAM - DANIEL SORDO, PROBABLY THE SECOND-BEST TARMAC DRIVER, AND SEBASTIEN OGIER, WHO HAS HAD A GREAT SEASON AND IS CURRENTLY RUNNER-UP IN THE TITLE RACE. SORDO WON THE BATTLE OF THE ALSO-RANS AND SEBASTIEN LOEB AND DANIEL ELENA FINISHED AS THEY STARTED - ON THE TOP STEP OF THE PODIUM. THEY EXTENDED THEIR OWN RECORD FOR THE MOST CONSECUTIVE WINS IN ONE EVENT TO EIGHT. THEY CAN NOW WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE NEXT ROUND IN JAPAN IF RESULTS GO THEIR WAY.

Rally Results posted by
David Little
23rd August 2010

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