Sebastien Loeb crashed out of the Acropolis rally on this morning’s opening stage - the 17.25km Klenia Mycenae.

The Frenchman’s Citroen C4 WRC left the road eight kilometres from the start on a high speed sixth gear section. The Citroen Total team has confirmed that Loeb and his co-driver Daniel Elena are okay.

Sources on the stage report the car is a long way from the road and is badly damaged. The C4 sustained a heavy impact on Loeb’s side and is missing a wheel.

Loeb had been third overall before the crash. If he is unable to restart as a SuperRally entrant on Sunday it will be his first non-finish since Sweden 2008, and only his third since 2006.

Rally leader, and Loeb’s chief championship rival, Mikko Hirvonen could hardly believe the news when he was told at the finish control. “That’s something new,” he said. “But there a long way to go yet. I need to keep it together myself.”