Loeb takes advantage of Ogier slip-up in Argentina

CÕRDOBA, Argentina (AFP) –

French driver Sebastien Loeb jumps with his Citroen DS3 WRC with his co-driver Daniel Elena from Monaco during the 6th stage of the WRC Argentina 2013 near Villa del Dique, Cordoba, Argentina on May 3, 2013. Loeb took full advantage of a mistake by compatriot Sebastien Ogier to take the lead in the Rally of Argentina on Friday and stay on course to maintain his remarkable record in the event.

Sebastien Loeb of France took full advantage of a mistake by compatriot Sebastien Ogier to take the lead in the Rally of Argentina on Friday and stay on course to maintain his remarkable record in the event.

Loeb, in a Citroen, is racing a reduced programme this year but is still in sight of victory in a race he has won every year since 2005.

But it took a rare error by Ogier, who had led since the start, to hand him the lead.

Ahead of the field by 17 seconds, Ogier overran a crossroads in his Volkswagen Polo in difficult muddy conditions near Cordoba, damaging his car into the bargain and had to backtrack, losing 45 seconds in the process on the seventh special.

That was enough to allow Sweden’s Mads Ostberg, in a Ford Fiesta, to take the 39km stage between Amboy and Yacanto and for Loeb to install himself in the lead, 8.9sec ahead of Finland’s Mikko Hirvonen, in a Citroen and 26.3sec up on Ogier.

Three more special stages were on the programme later on Friday.