Just Race!
01-25-2003, 09:27 AM
Saturday from crashnet:
Gronholm crash pushes Loeb into lead
Marcus Gronholm's hopes of winning the Monte Carlo Rally were left in tatters after he plunged off the road and smacked into a tree.
The Finn was battling to hold on to his lead of just 12.8 seconds when he went off the road on the penultimate stage of the day in the French Alps.
Gronholm managed to get the damaged Peugeot 206 WRC back on the road and was trying to finish the stage.
But he has lost a huge chunk of time to his main rivals which he will surely be unable to claw back.
Sebastien Loeb was left with a commanding lead of 75 seconds over new Citroen team-mate Colin McRae after setting the fastest time for the second stage in succession.
The Citroen team are now filling the top three places with Carlos Sainz third on his debut in what could be a dream start to the French outfit's first full-blown attempt at the World Championship.
Richard Burns added to Peugeot's problems on the 19-mile stage between Les Quatres Chemins and Sigale when he lost almost two minutes to Loeb and dropped behind the Ford of Estonia's Markko Martin and blamed a poor choice of tyres.
But Burns will stay fifth overall because of Gronholm's misfortune which left the 34-year-old - and his team - still searching for a first win on the world's most prestigious rally.
Gronholm crash pushes Loeb into lead
Marcus Gronholm's hopes of winning the Monte Carlo Rally were left in tatters after he plunged off the road and smacked into a tree.
The Finn was battling to hold on to his lead of just 12.8 seconds when he went off the road on the penultimate stage of the day in the French Alps.
Gronholm managed to get the damaged Peugeot 206 WRC back on the road and was trying to finish the stage.
But he has lost a huge chunk of time to his main rivals which he will surely be unable to claw back.
Sebastien Loeb was left with a commanding lead of 75 seconds over new Citroen team-mate Colin McRae after setting the fastest time for the second stage in succession.
The Citroen team are now filling the top three places with Carlos Sainz third on his debut in what could be a dream start to the French outfit's first full-blown attempt at the World Championship.
Richard Burns added to Peugeot's problems on the 19-mile stage between Les Quatres Chemins and Sigale when he lost almost two minutes to Loeb and dropped behind the Ford of Estonia's Markko Martin and blamed a poor choice of tyres.
But Burns will stay fifth overall because of Gronholm's misfortune which left the 34-year-old - and his team - still searching for a first win on the world's most prestigious rally.