Spain 2007

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE FOR THIS RALLY TO BE AS EXCITING AS THE NEW ZEALAND RALLY AND SO IT PROVED. SEBASTIEN LOEB MADE WHAT TURNED OUT TO BE THE BETTER TYRE CHOICE FOR THE LAST TWO STAGES ON DAY 1. INITIALLY, ON THE PENULTIMATE STAGE IT DID NOT LOOK TO BE SUCH AN INSPIRED CHOICE BECAUSE MARCUS GRONHOLM, ALREADY IN THE LEAD, INCREASED IT STILL FURTHER ON THE DRY SURFACE. BUT THEN THE HEAVENS OPENED ON THE LAST STAGE, AS SEBASTIEN FELT THEY MIGHT, AND HE FINISHED THE DAY WITH A 50-SECOND LEAD OVER MARCUS AND, JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, A WELCOME RETURN TO FORM ON HIS FAVOURITE TARMAC SURFACE SAW HIS TEAM-MATE, DANIEL SORDO, IN SECOND PLACE WITH A 37-SECOND LEAD OVER THE FINN.

FROM THAT POINT ON GRONHOLM'S GOOSE WAS WELL AND TRULY COOKED AND THEY FINISHED THE RALLY IN THAT ORDER AND WITH MORE OR LESS THE SAME MARGINS - LOEB RECORDING HIS 34TH VICTORY. MARCUS'S LEAD HAS THUS BEEN CUT FROM 10 POINTS TO 6 POINTS, AND WITH 2 OUT OF THE 4 REMAINING RALLIES ALSO ON TARMAC, YOU WOULD NOT BET AGAINST FURTHER SEVERE REDUCTIONS TO HIS LEAD.

Rally Results posted by
David Little
8th October 2007

  The HTML code for this page has been validated by the World Wide Web Consortium.