Loeb apologises for tactical slowing

The Citroen driver slowed in today's final stage, Te Akau North, dropping from first to third place and putting Ford duo Jari-Matti Latvala and Mikko Hirvonen into first and second positions, meaning they will have to run first on the dusty roads during tomorrow's decisive leg.

Loeb's Citroen teammate Dani Sordo is fourth, just 15.7 seconds off the lead.

The reigning champion said he had hoped to establish enough of an advantage to avoid taking a tactical approach, but this proved impossible.

"I knew the lead that I wanted at the end of the day and when I realised I wasn't going to reach that number, I said: 'Okay, now we have to play the game,'" said Loeb.

"When I got to the end of the stage, I got out to see Mikko. I wanted to say sorry, that this is not the way we want to drive these rallies - but this is the way it is now. This is part of the game."

Having deployed just these kind of tactics to lead a Ford one-two earlier in the season in Turkey, Hirvonen understood Loeb and Citroen's decision.

There had been a good deal of controversy 24 hours earlier, when Loeb had suffered a engine problem which prevented him from starting his C4 WRC ahead of the final long stage of the day.

Privately, many around the service park suspected tactics were being employed, particularly when Loeb managed to bump start the car three minutes later - forcing Hirvonen into the stage first and then to be first on the road throughout today's six stages.

"At least they had the balls to do it this time," said Hirvonen. "It's the way it is. Maybe it will rain tomorrow, if it does, it can make it a bit more interesting. But whatever, it's going to be a big day tomorrow."