The main contenders in the World Rally Championship played a waiting game and kept their cardsclose to their chest on the first day of Rally Jordan. Half a minute behind the leader, five crews arecovered by a handful of seconds. Among them, the Citroën Total World Rally Team crews are inthe running for victory. Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena are in third place while Dani Sordo andMarc Marti are lying sixth.
Rally Jordan has been unusual from several points of view. It has begun on a Thursday and the first of thethree stages is the shortest in terms of timed kilometres. The event started in the late morning fromJerash in the majestic backdrop of the Roman Forum built over two thousand years ago.
Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena, the world championship leaders, had a tricky morning in front of them.They were first out on the road and had to sweep it for their rivals. In the first stage, they knew exactlywhat they were up against as they lost 4/10s per kilometre to the quickest. Seb pushed as hard as hecould and finished the first loop of four stages over 20s behind the leaders. “The stages are very slipperybut I think that the drivers who started just behind me are also doing a lot of sweeping,” was how theCitroën driver analysed the situation when he got back to the service park. “I’m happy with my drivingand the handling of the C4 WRC. We’re going to keep on pushing this afternoon as our position ofbeing first on the road leaves us no alternative.”
Dani Sordo and Marc Marti set off in seventh spot and benefitted from slightly easier conditions. TheSpanish crew led the rally briefly at the end of SS3 (Mahes 1). “It’s true that the lines are swept, but wehave to avoid the big stones dug up by the leading cars. But I’m in no position to take risks,” commentedthe Spanish driver. “Apart from SS3 I feel I haven’t driven really well on the first loop. I was a bithindered by my differential setting: we’re going to correct that in the service park.”
The second loop of the day consisted of three stages, and was marked by various strategies aimed atobtaining the best starting position for tomorrow. Calculating was the last thing on Loeb’s mind. Hepushed till the very end and set his first fastest time of the day in the final stage. This put him in thirdplace overall. “It’s always a bit frustrating opening the road, as it’s difficult to see why you’re losing time.How much is down to the driver and how much to the sweeping? Tomorrow, the positions will bereversed with Jari-Matti Latvala, and we’ll see how the race evolves. I’m fairly happy with third placeoverall.”
Dani Sordo was third at the end of SS6 and he finished the loop in sixth position after lifting off when thefinish was in sight. “Our place helped us to make a tactical choice. We’re playing a waiting game in viewof the third day of the rally in which sweeping will play a crucially important role. We’ve taken a gambleas we’re now forty-five seconds behind the leader. For sure, the race is going to get more and moreinteresting!”
THE RALLY IN FIGURESSébastien Loeb / Daniel Elena Dani Sordo / Marc MartiSS1 : Rumman Forest (15,34 km) 6e +5’’6 6e +5’’6 3e +1’’0 3e +1’’0SS2 : Wadi Shueib 1 (8,65 km) 4e +4’’4 5e +10’’0 3e +4’’3 3e +5’’3SS3 : Mahes 1 (20,44 km) 6e +16’’6 5e +21’’3 1er 1erSS4 : Mount Nebo 1 (11,09 km) 3e +2’’4 5e +21’’1 4e +3’’0 2e +0’’4SS5 : Wadi Shueib 2 (8,65 km) 4e +7’’5 5e +28’’6 5e +8’’7 3e +9’’1SS6 : Mahes 2 (20,44 km) 4e +6’’7 5e +33’’5 3e +4’’2 3e +11’’5SS7 : Mount Nebo 2 (11,09 km) 1er 3e +31’’8 12e +35’’6 6e +45’’4
Fastest times in the stagesDay 1 – SS1 et 2 : Jari-Matti Latvala (Ford Focus) – SS3 : Dani Sordo (Citroën C4) – SS4 : Petter Solberg(Citroën C4) – SS5 : Latvala – SS6 : P. Solberg – SS7 : Sébastien Loeb (Citroën C4).Best performers : Latvala, 3 fastest times – P. Solberg, 2 – Sordo and Loeb, 1.Leaders : SS1 and 2 : Latvala – SS3 : Sordo – SS4 to 7 : Latvala.
Overall classification at the end of the first day1. Latvala / Anttila Ford Focus 1h11’31’’52. Ogier / Ingrassia Citroën C4 +30’’23. Loeb / Elena Citroën C4 +31’’84. P. Solberg / Mills Citroën C4 +32’’55. Hirvonen / Lehtinen Ford Focus +42’’26. Sordo / Marti Citroën C4 +45’’47. H. Solberg / Minor Ford Focus +1’20’’98. Wilson / Martin Ford Focus +2’01’’19. Villagra / Perez Companc Ford Focus +2’48’’210. Räikkönen / Lindström Citroën C4 +3’50’’5…
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