Latvala triumphs in Rally of Great Britain

CARDIFF, United Kingdom (AFP) –

Jari-Matti Latvala of Finland drives his Ford Fiesta RS during the 16th stage of the Wales Rally, the tenth round of the FIA World Rally Championship, near Cardiff on September 16. Latvala won the Rally of Great Britain, the 10th leg of the World Rally Championship, ahead of France’s Sebastien Loeb in Cardiff on Sunday.

Finland’s Jari-Matti Latvala of Ford won the Rally of Great Britain, the 10th leg of the World Rally Championship, ahead of France’s Sebastien Loeb in Cardiff on Sunday.

Also victorious in last year’s race, Latvala led practically from the start to finish 27.8sec ahead of championship leader and eight-time world champion Loeb, with Latvala’s Norwegian team-mate Petter Solberg a further 0.9sec back in third place.

The result prevented Citroen from claiming victory in the constructors’ championship, but both Citroen and Loeb will expect to be crowned champions at the Rally of France in Alsace on October 4-7.

Despite a late fightback on Sunday, Loeb was unable to undo the damage inflicted during the first two days of the race, when Ford proved more adept at handling the slippery roads in the south Wales countryside.

He did, however, succeed in overhauling Solberg, who began the day more than six seconds in front of him.

Latvala recorded the seventh victory of his career and his second win this season, after a previous success in Sweden.

It enabled Ford to bring an end to a run of five straight victories for the all-conquering Loeb, who is nonetheless closing in on his ninth successive world championship crown.