Loeb on brink of Mexico win
| By Matt Beer |
Sunday, March 2nd 2008, 15:29 GMT |
 Sebastien Loeb is within sight of a third straight Rally Mexico victory after the cancellation of SS18 left him with just two more stages to complete.
The 22.3-kilometre Guanajuatito stage was set to be the longest test of the final day, but was called off before the start on spectator safety grounds. An unexpectedly large crowd had turned out for the stage, and the officials decided it could not be run safely.
World champion Loeb therefore maintains his one-minute advantage over Subaru's Chris Atkinson with only the 18-kilometre Comanjilla stage and four laps of the superspecial remaining.
Third-placed Jari-Matti Latvala was fastest in the only stage held this morning, but is still 50 seconds behind Atkinson and focused on driving safely to the finish.
The only battle in the top ten is Henning Solberg and Mikko Hirvonen's fight for fourth.
Hirvonen took seven seconds out of Solberg's advantage in the Leon stage, but the cancellation of Guanajuatito has hampered his bid to close the remaining nine-second gap to the Munchi's Ford.
The rest of the top ten positions now appear set, barring any last minute dramas, with Matthew Wilson (Stobart Ford), Federico Villagra (Munchi's Ford) and local driver Ricardo Trivino on course to complete the points-scorers
Leading positions after SS18: Pos Driver Car Time
1. Loeb Citroen 3h19:33.6
2. Atkinson Subaru + 1:04.8
3. Latvala Ford + 1:55.9
4. H Solberg Ford + 3:50.7
5. Hirvonen Ford + 3:59.9
6. Wilson Ford + 6:23.6
7. Villagra Ford + 18:40.6
8. Trivino Peugeot + 20:24.1
9. Ogier Citroen + 23:51.9
10. Molder Suzuki + 25:23.6
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