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Loeb tops GB shakedown

Citroen's Sebastien Loeb was quickest in the shakedown for the Wales Rally GB on Thursday, the final round in the 2007 FIA World Rally Championship.

Loeb completed the 3.90 kilometre test, near Penllergaer Forest, in 2 minutes 24.4 seconds, 1.1 seconds up on his team-mate, Daniel Sordo, who was best of the rest in the sister C4 WRC.

Marcus Gronholm meanwhile was third, 0.2 seconds slower than Sordo, while Petter Solberg was fourth in his Subaru Impreza WRC.

Stobart Ford duo Jari-Matti Latvala and Henning Solberg came in fifth and sixth respectively, split by just 0.3 seconds.

Next up was Chris Atkinson, who did four runs over the test, while Andreas Mikkelsen was eighth in his new 2006 spec Ford Focus WRC car.

Further down the order, Mikko Hirvonen was eighth followed by Manfred Stohl, Matthew Wilson and Xavier Pons, who rounded out the top twelfth. Stohl did six passes through the 'stage', more than any of the other 'big' names.

Sebastian Lindholm had to settle for the 18th best time in the new Suzuki SX4 WRC - more than 10 seconds off the pace.

The ceremonial start for the Wales Rally GB now takes place this evening at 19.30 hours in Cathays Park in Cardiff.

The action begins 'proper' on Friday, with SS1, the 17.41 kilometre-run through Port Talbort 1 starting at 09.53 hours local time.


Leading shakedown times:

1. Sebastien Loeb Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC 2mins 24.4secs M
2. Dani Sordo Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC 2mins 24.5secs M
3. Marcus Gronholm BP Ford Focus RS WRC 07 2mins 24.7secs M
4. Petter Solberg Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2007 2mins 24.9secs M
5. Jari-Matti Latvala Stobart Ford Focus WRC 06 2mins 25.0secs M
6. Henning Solberg Stobart Ford Focus WRC 06 2mins 25.3secs M
7. Chris Atkinson Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2006 2mins 25.4secs M
8. Andreas Mikkelsen Ramsport Ford Focus WRC 2mins 26.3secs
9. Mikko Hirvonen BP Ford Focus RS WRC 07 2mins 26.9secs M
10. Manfred Stohl OMV Kronos Citroen Xsara WRC 2mins 26.7secs M
11. Matthew Wilson Stobart Ford Focus WRC 06 2mins 27.0secs
12. Xavier Pons Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2006 2mins 27.7secs
13. Luis-Perez Companc Munchi's Ford Focus WRC 06 2mins 29.6secs M
= Federico Villagra Munchi's Ford Focus WRC 06 2mins 29.6secs M
15. Mads Ostberg Subaru Impreza WRC 2mins 31.2secs
16. Jan Kopecky Czech RT Skoda Fabia WRC 2mins 34.1secs
17. Conrad Rautenbach Citroen Xsara WRC 2mins 36.3secs
18. Sebastian Lindholm Suzuki WRT SX4 WRC 2mins 36.6secs
19. Gareth Jones Stobart Ford Focus WRC 04 2mins 37.6secs


Key:

M denotes Manufacturer entry

all times unofficial