Weekend review and results round-up
Everyone except Sebastien Loeb seemed certain that he would wrap up a remarkable seventh straight World Rally Championship title by winning at home in France - and despite the Citroen legend's anxiety, that is exactly what he did - celebrating in front of the town hall in his home town after another dominant asphalt win
The championship was also settled in the IndyCar Series, but this one was far more unpredictable, with Will Power defending a narrow lead over Dario Franchitti. The Scot took charge in the race though, and when Power hit the wall trying to bring himself back into contention, Franchitti was able to play it safe and clinch his third title in four years from eighth place, while his Ganassi team-mate Scott Dixon took the race win.
Peugeot looks increasingly certain to win the inaugural Intercontinental Le Mans Cup crown after it added a second consecutive Petit Le Mans triumph to its AUTOSPORT 1000km win last month.
Franck Montagny, Stephane Sarrazin and Pedro Lamy led home team-mates Alex Wurz, Marc Gene and Anthony Davidson in a one-two, although Audi was always hot on their heels. Slightly overshadowed behind the dominant diesels, Highcroft claimed its second ALMS title from fourth place.
Also on the brink of being settled is the 2010 MotoGP title race, with Dani Pedrosa breaking his collarbone in Friday practice at Motegi, leaving Jorge Lorenzo all but certain to become world champion, perhaps as soon as next weekend in Malaysia. But Lorenzo was an unhappy man leaving Japan, consigned to fourth place after what he felt was too rough a battle with team-mate Valentino Rossi. Ducati's Casey Stoner took the race win.
In other championship battles, Jimmie Johnson is showing his usual ominous Chase form in the NASCAR Sprint Cup, taking the lead in the standings with second behind Greg Biffle at Kansas, Romain Grosjean became the first ever Auto GP champion at Monza, and the Superleague Formula title race got even closer as teams further back in the championship did all the winning at the brand new Ordos circuit in China.
The motorsport action
WRC: Loeb secures seventh title with win
IndyCar: Franchitti grabs title, Dixon wins race
ALMS/ILMC: Peugeot takes Petit Le Mans one-two
NASCAR: Biffle wins, Johnson takes Chase lead
125cc: Marquez returns to top step
Moto2: Elias claims seventh victory
MotoGP: Stoner wins again in Japan
Superleague: Olympiacos' Hanley wins at Ordos
Superleague: Vervisch wins race two for Liverpool
Superleague: Perera wins thrilling final in China
Superleague: Perera stripped of Ordos final win
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