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Loeb relying on Sordo for sixth title

Sebastien Loeb says he will need help from Citroen team-mate Dani Sordo to win his sixth consecutive World Rally Championship title following the loss of his Rally Australia win due to a technical infringement

Prior to the stewards' decision to hit him with a one-minute penalty for a non-conforming anti-roll bar link, Loeb was in control of the championship. Victories in the two remaining rallies would have been enough for the title, regardless of where Ford rival Mikko Hirvonen finished. Now, Loeb is five points behind with two rallies to go.

Loeb is relying on help from Sordo in Spain next time out, where the pair have finished 1-2 for the last three years - and Loeb has won for the last four.

"With two rallies left, the situation looks much more difficult," Loeb told French newspaper L'Equipe. "Of course, it is not permanently broken. Despite winning the next two rallies, it would be inadequate in the event that Mikko [Hirvonen] comes second each time.

"We must therefore rely on the help of Dani [Sordo] to squeeze between, or a bad performance from Hirvonen. In other words, I am now obliged to win in Catalonia and Wales, hoping that my opponent does not finish behind me every time. I am no longer in control.

"We had given everything in the race to win. It was achieved after a big fight at all times. After four months without success, the victory achieved on the gravel allowed us to begin to restore the situation. It has eventually escaped us and this could have big consequences."

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