Loeb targets title following Sanremo win

Burns struggled on the Italian roads, although a final stage rally in wet conditions boosted him to seventh at the finish. The two points he scored for doing so were enough to keep him at the top of the championship table. However, with two of the final rounds also being run on asphalt, the initiative appears to be swinging towards sealed-surface ace Loeb.

"I have good possibilities to win the Championship," said Loeb. "It will not be easy but I feel good. The car was very good on tarmac. I have had a good feeling here, so I hope the same for Corsica and the others."

Despite seeing his championship lead all but erased, Burns was simply relieved to score points in Sanremo, given that he struggled outside the top ten for much of the event.

"I'm very glad to get to the end and even happier to score some points," said Burns. "I can't remember an event where I felt so little confidence in myself or the car. It got a bit better on the final day, but when the rain came down I concentrated on being careful. Having endured a tough weekend, the last thing I wanted to do was finish it in a ditch!"