Rally New Zealand (6-9 May 2010) – Day 2
Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena started the morning 1m 20s behind the leader and gave one oftheir most amazing performances ever in the second leg of Rally New Zealand. The Citroën TotalWorld Rally Team crew set almost all the fastest times, and this evening they are lying second 5.3sbehind Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia. Dani Sordo and Marc Marti had a steady day and arein fourth place overall.
After the first day in the north of Auckland, the crews in Rally New Zealand headed south. The route wasabout the same length as yesterday’s, and consisted of two runs through a loop of four stages : three ongravel and one on asphalt on the Hampton Down circuit. The midday service park was installed in themiddle of a picturesque paddock packed with GT cars from the national championship.
Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena kicked off the day in seventh place overall so they had an ideal startingposition. The six-time world championship winning duo had the advantage of a well-swept road and theybegan by setting the fastest time in New Franklin 1 (SS10). It was the same story in Baker and then Loebstruck a mighty blow in Te Akau Coast 1 (SS12). At the end of the 30,89-km gravel stage, Seb was 22seconds quicker than his immediate pursuer! This closed the gap to the leader to under 40 seconds!“This morning’s been quite simply perfect,” smiled Seb in the midday sevice park. “We noted that therewas a lot of sweeping done in SS12 and I knew I could open up some big gaps because of our positionon the road. It probably won’t be so easy this afternoon, but we’re going to continue to go flat out tofight our way back up the time sheets. I can’t really say at this point in time if we can aim for victory. Theleader’s going quickly and it doesn’t look like he wants to give up his position!”
The afternoon’s loop provided an answer to this question. Seb again proved unbeatable banging in threefastest times on the gravel stages and he finished the second leg in second place 5.3s behind SébastienOgier. “We’ve now pulled back all the time we lost due to our off yesterday. We really enjoyed ourselvestoday. We were able to get the utmost out of our C4 WRC’s potential, and the roads are simplymagnificent. We’re well placed to aim for victory tomorrow, but above all we’ll have to cope with a shortleg that’s full of traps.”
Dani Sordo and Marc Marti went out in fourth place this morning and had moved up to third by midday.After the second loop the Spanish crew found themselves back where they started. “I didn’t manage toget into the right groove today,” explained Sordo in the service park at the end of the leg. “The grip wasmore consistent today, and I felt more at ease in the car. Even so, I still couldn’t set good times inrelation to my rivals. The day’s over and I’m now thinking about tomorrow. We’re still in the running forthe third step of the podium.”
THE RALLY IN FIGURESSébastien Loeb / Daniel Elena Dani Sordo / Marc MartiSS10 : New Franklin 1 (20,82 km) 1st 6th +1’11’’8 5th +16’’8 4th +17’’5SS11 : Baker 1 (21,42 km) 1st 6th +1’05’’7 4th +9’’7 4th +21’’1SS12 : Te Akau Coast 1 (30,89 km) 1st 6th +38’’5 4th +29’’4 3rd +23’’3SS13 : Hampton Downs 1 (4,68 km) 2nd +0’’2 6th +38’’7 4th +1’’4 3rd +24’’7SS14 : New Franklin 2 (20,82 km) 1st 3rd +28’’3 4th +16’’3 4th +30’’6SS15 : Baker 2 (21,42 km) 1st 2nd +19’’6 3rd +12’’7 4th +34’’6SS16 : Te Akau Coast 2 (30,89 km) 1st 2nd +5’’1 5th +25’’5 4th +45’’6SS17 : Hampton Downs 2 (4,68 km) 2nd +0’’2 2nd +5’’3 4th +1’’9 4th +47’’5
Quickest times in the stagesDay 1 – SS1: Petter Solberg (Citroën C4) – SS2: Sébastien Ogier (Citroën C4) – SS3 and 4: Dani Sordo(Citroën C4) – SS5 and 6: Ogier – SS7: Sébastien Loeb (Citroën C4) – SS8: P. Solberg – SS9: Loeb andOgier.Day 2 – SS10 to 12: Loeb – SS13: Ogier – SS14 to 16: Loeb – SS17: Ogier.Best performers : Loeb, 8 quickest times including 1 ex-aequo – Ogier 6 including 1 ex-aequo – Sordoand P. Solberg, 2 each.Leaders : SS1 and 2: P. Solberg – SS3 and 4: Sordo – SS5 and 6: Ogier – SS7: Latvala – SS8 and 9:P. Solberg – ES10 to 17: Ogier.
Classification at the end of the second day1. Ogier / Ingrassia Citroën C4 3h05’40’’42. Loeb / Elena Citroën C4 +5’’32. Latvala / Anttila Ford Focus +33’’24. Sordo / Marti Citroën C4 +47’’53. P. Solberg / Mills Citroën C4 +53’’65. Hirvonen / Lehtinen Ford Focus +1’00’’26. Wilson / Martin Ford Focus +3’04’’98. H. Solberg / Minor Ford Focus +5’46’’49. Ketomaa / Stenberg Ford Fiesta +8’17’’710. Villagra / Perez Companc Ford Focus +8’28’’8
