Motorsport: Loeb backs off to miss leading

Sebastien Loeb of France and Daniel Elena of Monaco compete in their Citroen C4 Total during the Repco Rally of Australia. Photo / Getty Images

Five-time world champion Sebastien Loeb will gamble on a bold tactical move to win Rally Australia today.

The Citroen star wrested the lead on day two from Finn Jari-Matti Latvala but deliberately dropped off the pace on the last stage which determined today's starting order.

As the leading car has to clear the road of gravel, Loeb decided he would have little chance as first car out. The Frenchman took over the pace on the 21st stage from Latvala and Ford team-mate Mikko Hirvonen, his only real rival for the championship.

Hirvonen leads Loeb by three points with three rounds remaining but will lead today. He won two stages to Loeb's five yesterday and took the overall lead by two seconds from Spaniard Dani Sordo - the only other stage winner - with Loeb third and Latvala fourth.

Two sprints were to be run around Murwillumbah overnight to complete the second leg, but will not change the starting order.

Latvala had dominated the opening day and set the running through much of yesterday before being hobbled by a puncture. Loeb crept to within 0.8s of Latvala with a blistering stage 20 run, moving into second with Hirvonen a further 5.4s back.

"I pushed very, very hard because Mikko was pushing really hard also," Loeb said. "This was a very difficult stage, I tried everything I could and went quite a bit faster."

Loeb finally edged Latvala out of the lead on the short CTEK West stage and consolidated his spot on the 20.31km Dayco run. That gained an 11.1s break over the field but he deliberately surrendered it to get a better road position for the rally's final, and longest, day.

- AAP