Loeb’s victory in Ireland silences Grönholm

Grönholm crash on Friday renders Championship hopes rather thin

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Sebastien Loeb is not a man to repeat the same mistake twice.
      In the previous World Rally Championship race in Japan, Loeb crashed out after his closest rival to this year’s WRC title, Marcus Grönholm of Finland, was already out of the picture. Yesterday, however, the Frenchman brought his Citroën safely across the finish line in the Rally of Ireland, thus securing a six-point lead in the World Championship standings.
      "Well, one could guess that such luck would not last forever", Grönholm commented over the telephone from his home in Inkoo, Finland, on Sunday afternoon.
     
The bleak Finnish weather mirrored Grönholm’s sentiments. Friday’s crashing out tested his physique, but the greatest damage may still have happened on the mental side. What is particularly annoying to Grönholm is the fact that some have suggested his shunt resulted from pressure.
      "There was no pressure, none whatsoever. Timppa (Grönholm’s co-pilot Timo Rautiainen) and I figured that if we finished in the top four we would be OK pointwise. Then we would just have to win the RAC Rally", Grönholm commented.
     
The actual crash is still a slight mystery to Grönholm. While braking from a speed of 70-80 km/h, Grönholm’s Ford suddenly started sliding as if on ice, before crashing into a low stone wall, driver’s side door first.
      Grönholm has no idea of how long he was unconscious, but according to Rautiainen’s estimate it cannot have been for more than a few seconds. In the subsequent MRI scan, nothing alarming was discovered.
      "Nothing dramatic was found. Empty head", Grönholm joked.
      After the race Grönholm was not meant to come home, but to continue testing his car. Unfortunately his neck is still somewhat stiff after the whack, despite the car seat that supposedly provides support in sideways impacts as well.
      Therefore, while the former double World Champion is gathering strength, his teammate and fellow countryman Mikko Hirvonen will complete the early week’s Ford tests in England. Grönholm is scheduled to take over the testing towards the end of the week.
     
Grönholm calculated that in the remaining Rally of Wales Loeb should not finish higher than sixth with Grönholm himself capping the event, if the Finn was to end the season as World Champion for a third time.
      In reality this means that Loeb would have to run into some serious problems, as the Citroens and Fords have dominated this year's competitions when all other things have been equal, and the top four has very often been the same four names in different order.
      "We have a theoretical chance, but this is not how it was supposed to happen."
      Even if he did not win the title, Grönholm would not go back on his decision to quit after this season. He does not have any concrete plans to come back to race in individual events either, even though the possibility has been discussed with the team boss.
      "I don’t believe I will race after this. It would not be easy to come back after a long break."
     
The race in Ireland saw a new face on the podium - Finland's Jari-Matti Latvala in a privately-entered Stobart Ford took third ahead of Mikko Hirvonen.
      Sebastien Loeb was followed home at a respectful distance by his Citroen teammate Daniel Sordo of Spain.
      Despite slipping off the podium in Dublin this time, Hirvonen is still certain to take the third sport in the year's WRC standings.
      The final rally of the season will be in Wales from 30.11.-2.12.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Loeb closes in on Marcus Grönholm after win in Catalonia (8.10.2007)
  Double rally world champion Marcus Grönholm to quit WRC after this season (17.9.2007)

Links:
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