Freddy Loix wrapped up a historic fifth win on the Ypres Rally in the latest round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, securing his first win of the year in the process.
Having dominated the opening leg of the event on Friday, the Belgian driver maintained his advantage during Saturday's second and final leg to take victory by almost a minute ahead of fellow Peugeot man Nicolas Vouilloz.
“This was just the result that myself and the team needed,” Loix, now the most successful driver in the history of the event, said. “I came here looking for the win, as it was the only way I could get back into contention for the title. Hopefully our luck has changed now – and it's nice to have the record of Ypres wins as well!”
Behind Vouilloz, points leader Luca Rossetti rebounded from a puncture on the opening leg while he had been running in second place to reach the finish in third place after battling his way back up the order on leg two, with victory on the final stage enabling him to make it a Peugeot 1-2-3. Rossetti now leads the standings by four points from Vouilloz.
Rossetti narrowly beat Bernd Casier, who took Volkswagen's best result in the IRC series to date with fourth place, despite an accident during the shakedown that left his Polo S2000 nursing heavy damage. Patrick Snijers, who had shared the record for most wins with Loix prior to the event, was fifth at the wheel of his BFGoodrich-backed Peugeot, while Abarth driver Giandomenico Basso had to settle for a lonely sixth after losing time on the final stage with a puncture.
The IRC 2WD Cup was won by local man Dieter Verbeke in a Peugeot 106. Marco Cavigioli had led the class in the new Fiat Grande Punto diesel until the final stage, when he was forced to retire. Cavigioli himself had inherited the lead when Alessandro Bettega rolled out of the lead on the second morning.
![Freddy Loix [Pic credit: IRC]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/366635.jpg)
