Loeb takes control in Rally of Germany

France’s Sebastien Loeb is on course to claim his ninth Rally of Germany title in ten years after dominating the first day on Friday at the World Rally Championships.

On the twisting roads around Trier in the Moselle valley, Loeb once again proved he is at home.

Having already won this race eight times, the 38-year-old Citroen driver set the fastest time in four of Friday’s six stages, finishing 20 seconds ahead of Ford’s Norwegian driver Petter Solberg.

Finland’s Jari-Matti Latvala was third at 29 seconds off the pace, having briefly threatened Loeb’s domination by claiming wins on the fourth and sixth stages.

With four races left after this weekend, eight-time world champion Loeb is on course to win this year’s title as he leads the WRC drivers’ table by 43 points from Finnish teammate Mikko Hirvonen, who finished sixth on Friday.

Apart from an accident or error, Loeb’s rivals seem set to be battling it out for second place.

Last year’s winner, Sebastien Ogier of France, is back in tenth place after the first day of the Rally of Germany which concludes on Sunday.

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