Motorsport: Gronholm win end of Loeb's rally run

JYVASKYLA - Finland's Marcus Gronholm won the Rally of Finland yesterday to snap world champion Sebastien Loeb's run of six successive victories this season.

The Peugeot driver won 11 of the 21 stages on fast gravel roads outside Jyvaskyla and finished 1m 6.7s ahead of France's Loeb in a Citroen.

The twice former world champion's second successive victory in the race lifted him to second place in the drivers' standings behind Loeb, who has 83 points.

"I am relieved and really happy for ourselves and the team," said Gronholm, whose last win in the world championship was in Jyvaskyla a year ago.

Gronholm now trails Frenchman Loeb by 28 points in the championship.

"Second place in Finland is a good result for me ... I found some good settings for the car and a lot of confidence," Loeb said.

Norway's Petter Solberg, who finished fourth in his Subaru yesterday, dropped a place to third and is two points adrift of Gronholm.

Estonia's Markko Martin, also in a Peugeot, finished third to lie fourth in the world with 48 points.

"I am very happy with third place. It's through my own efforts and not others retiring," said Martin.

Peugeot lead the manufacturers' standings with 106 points to Citroen's 105 and Ford's 69 after round 10 of the 16-rally championship.

The next race will start in Germany on August 27.

Standings

1 Sebastien Loeb, 83pts.

2 Marcus Gronholm, 55.

3 Petter Solberg, 53.

4 Markko Martin, 48.

5 Toni Gardemeister, 47.

- REUTERS