Sebastien Loeb will have only one target this coming weekend in Ireland and that's to come out top and take the maximum ten points.

The Frenchman failed to score in Japan last month after his co-driver, Daniel Elena called out the wrong pace-note. It was a bitter blow for Seb, especially as Marcus Gronholm had gone out on day 1 and as such he was well placed to re-take the lead in the drivers' championship.

As it is Loeb heads to Ireland now still four points behind and with only two events left, still has it all to do.

He will take encouragement though from the Citroen C4 WRC's form this year on the 'black stuff' and his pre-event preparations for this event, which included taking in and winning the Donegal Rally in Ireland back in the summer and the Cork '20' International Rally in September.

“We have no alternative [but to try and take the victory this weekend]. I start every event with the intention of winning and that's especially true this time,” he noted.

“Our visits to Ireland earlier in the year, Citroën's experience of asphalt and the Citroën C4 WRC's proven competitiveness on sealed surfaces should all help us and I hope Dani [Sordo] and Marc [Marti] succeed in finishing ahead of Marcus [in the #2 C4]. We're still very much in with a shout, but we have very little margin for manoeuvre.”

Asked what he learned from his two outings in Ireland earlier this year, Seb added that they taught him this event will be far from easy.

"It's important to point out too that the Donegal and Cork Rallies don't take place in the same region as Sligo and the roads there might be different to what we've already seen,” he continued.

“Taking part in these two events was a new experience but Citroën has good experience of asphalt. That said, Rally Ireland promises to be like no other event I know. I would perhaps liken it to the French Championship's Rallye du Touquet, only faster in places. The bumpy, narrow stages make it a very difficult cocktail and it will call for a special feeling. It will doubtlessly be close but we'll give it everything we've got!”

Citroen team boss, Guy Frequelin meanwhile believes that this event could be critical in deciding whether it is Loeb or Gronholm who ends up taking the 2007 drivers' title.

“Ireland promises to be a turning point,” Frequelin stated ahead of the penultimate round in the WRC. “It isn't possible to predict all the potential scenarios, of course, but the fact remains that Seb and Daniel [Elena] trail Marcus by four points, with two events remaining to attempt to bridge that gap.