Loeb to back off?
Great Britain · Citroen · Sébastien Loeb · 07/11/2003 10:18:04
Citroen's Sebastien Loeb could lose his chance of winning the WRC drivers' title as he could be told by his bosses to back off in his duel with Subaru's Petter Solberg to ensure the French marque wins the manufacturers' title.
Citroen leads the manufacturer's standings by five points from Peugeot, but following the exit of Carlos Sainz on SS3, the marque is concerned that it needs to ensure that both its remaining cars get to the finish. Loeb leads while team-mate Colin McRae is in fifth.
"Now we have no second car we need both our other cars to finish," said Frequelin. "It is difficult now, and I must speak with Sebastien to tell him he needs to finish. This is bad for the fight between him and Solberg. It is very clear that the manufacturers' championship comes before the drivers' championship."
Loeb leads the rally from the Norwegian by 3.8 seconds but with reigning world champion Marcus Gronholm out of the rally after SS3, Peugeot just has Harri Rovanpera in a points paying position - in eighth.
Solberg doesn't think the battle between the two at the front will cool because of team orders.
"Don't trust anything," said the Subaru man. "People are talking bullshit."
Indeed.
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Todella surkeaa toimintaa Citroenin johdolta, jos noin käskevät Loebin ajaa... Mies sentään taistelee ensimmäisestä henkilökohtaisesta maailmanmestaruudestaankin! Tallimääräykset oli kielletty tälle kaudelle anyways...
Soisin toki mestaruuden ennemmin Petrerille kuin Sebastienille, mutta surkeaa, jos mestaruus ratkeaa näin... yuck