Wrc.com stage summary
Stage data: SS9, Jordan River 1 (41.45 kilometres)
Stage description:
By Citroen Total World Rally Team co-driver Julien Ingrassia: “This stage is in three different parts. It runs along the border with Israel and it’s like being in a movie because you can see lots of old bunkers. You get to the end of the road section and the bridge is just exposed - you have no choice but to join this road. The river means that this is one of the greenest areas in Jordan. There is a lot of vegetation and cultivation, so it makes for a nice landscape. The first part is flatter and faster, then you get to what we call the Russian mountains - it’s like a rollercoaster with Sebastien, you go up and it’s as if you’re on the moon. It’s an amazing view. Then in the final part you go downhill, back to the plain, following the riverbed. The surface is quite soft there, so Mikko [Hirvonen] is right to be worried about being first on the road because he will be at a disadvantage there.”
How the action unfolded:
Sebastien Ogier has taken the lead of the Jordan Rally for the Citroen Total World Rally Team with a hard-charging performance over one of the longest stages in the WRC calendar. Ogier was 7.4 seconds ahead of his team-mate Sebastien Loeb, for whom he had to sacrifice his own prospects at this event last year.
The leading Citroen DS3 WRC completed the 41.5 kilometre stage in 27m32.6s, 2.4 seconds faster than the privateer DS3 of Petter Solberg - who believed he could have gone even faster.
“I lost a lot of time, I think,” said Solberg, who moves up into second place overall. “I think the car is maybe overheating, I don’t know.”
Jari-Matti Latvala was third fastest for the Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally team. He lost ground to the Citroens in the middle third of the stage before pulling closer in the final kilometres, finishing 5.5 seconds adrift of Ogier but 1.9 seconds faster than Loeb.
“The last 20 kilometres went very well,” said Latvala. “I was absolutely on the limit.”
“Some parts went okay but there were other parts where there was a lot of gravel and I lost time for sure,” said Loeb. “The tyres were moving again, I couldn’t get the grip at the end and I lost the rhythm.”
Mads Ostberg continued to inch closer to Mikko Hirvonen in the overall standings. The Stobart Ford driver was 19.9 seconds slower than Loeb but 0.3 seconds faster than Hirvonen.
“I think we’re just going to focus on ourselves and try to improve,” said Ostberg. “I’ve been making lots of small mistakes. Mikko is driving first on the stages so afternoon it will be better for him”
“It’s been a difficult morning but the last 25 kilometres of this stage came really well,” said Hirvonen. “I found a good rhythm. Hopefully I’m not too far behind now.”
Ostberg’s team-mate, Matthew Wilson was seventh quickest, outpacing Kimi Raikkonen by 15.5 seconds, while Henning Solberg was forced to park his Fiesta RS WRC after hitting a rock, damaging the engine.
Key moment:
Ogier asserting himself over his team-mate, who will have less of a disadvantage this afternoon running on a repeat loop of the morning’s stages.
Credit: World Rally Championship (www.wrc.com)
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