Loeb wins eighth World Championship

Sebastian Loeb and Daniel Elena have won their eighth straight World Rally Championship. Despite succumbing to a sticky end in a head on collision with a spectator’s car on a liaison stage he had done enough to secure the championship.

Meanwhile, Sebastian Ogier and Julien Ingrassia were able to take 11th position while Loeb celebrated on the podium at the end of the rally.

Loeb was unlucky to collide with the road car, as its Spanish driver panicked pulled into the path of the Citroen DS3 as it came over a blind crest.

Loeb commented: “It’s a pity because I would have liked to have finished the battle with Jari-Matti. What happened is fairly ordinary: we were on a narrow road and we came upon a car on the top of a crest where there was no visibility. The Spanish driver had the wrong reflex and pulled in to the right and we collided.”