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SS11: Loeb leads from the front
Italy · Citroen · Sébastien Loeb · 05/10/2003 07:52:10
Sebastien Loeb seems intent on defending his comfortable Sanremo Rally lead by increasing it. The Citroen ace completed the first stage of the rally’s final day - the 26.54km Vignai – 3.5sec quicker than anyone else.
Markko Martin was next best in the Ford, while his team-mate Francois Duval is looking racey this morning and took almost five seconds off Gilles Panizzi. The fifth-placed Peugeot man started the day 24.7sec ahead, so it’s just possible we could be on for a battle for the place by the end of the day.
Carlos Sainz isn’t a million miles ahead of this pair in fourth overall, but the Spaniard’s advantage remains almost intact though – he was fourth quickest on the stage and just 0.1sec slower than Duval.
Marcus Gronholm – well-ensconced in third overall – was fifth quickest in his Peugeot ahead of Panizzi, Citroen’s Colin McRae, Richard Burns for Peugeot, Philippe Bugalski for Citroen and FFSA-backed Peugeot driver Cedric Robert.
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