Peugeot loses Cyprus win
The FIA has excluded the Peugeot 307 WRCs of Marcus Gronholm and Harri Rovanpera from the results of the recent Cyprus Rally, because of an irregularity with their water pumps. Gronholm won the event on the road, and Rovanpera came in fifth. Sebastien Loeb now takes the win and WRC points lead
The Citroen Xsara WRCs of Loeb and team-mate Carlos Sainz were also subject to an investigation into the legality of their water pumps, but the FIA has given the Citroen parts a clean bill of health. Loeb is therefore promoted to Cyprus rally winner and Sainz moves up to third place.
The ruling also drops Gronholm from the head of the championship standings down to fourth place, behind Loeb, Markko Martin and Petter Solberg. It will also make it extremely hard for Peugeot to rejoin the battle for the manufacturers' title, in which it had been in contention with Ford and Citroen and well ahead of Subaru.
Peugeot had the right to appeal against the decision, but although it remains confident that it has gained no advantage from the water pump, it says that it is not going to lodge an appeal.
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