29/09/2009
Loeb-Sordo (Citroën) VS Hirvonen-Latvala (Ford): the big duel arrives in Spain

Dani Sordo (Citroën)

Next Thursday, 1 October, the ceremonial start of the 45 RallyRACC Catalunya-COSTA DAURADA, Rally de España, will give the start to something more than another round of the World Rally Championship.  The participants of one of the most decisive editions of the Spanish WRC round will gather on the podium in Salou.

Sébastien Loeb (Citroën), the big favourite, will fight with all his might against Mikko Hirvonen (Ford), the big leader, in a race in which the performance of the second drivers of each of the teams, Dani Sordo in Citroën and Jari-MattiLAtvala in Ford, will become of vital importance. Today, the drivers are driving along the stages doing the reconnaissance of the event on the Costa Daurada, and the teams are giving the finishing touches to the machines at the Service Park in PortAventura. Meanwhile, there is a rising excitement in the atmosphere: the world championship titles are at stake.

Sébastien Loeb (Citroën), five times World Champion and four times winner of the RallyRACC: "I’ll take the start with the conviction that there is no other choice than finishing the season with a perfect final balance, that is, I must win both rallies. At this Catalunya rally we will need team work from Dani and Marc more than ever. If Mikko Hirvonen finishes second, he would just need to be second in Wales to become champion.  We must be fast in Catalunya, almost as if we were racing on a racetrack, braking as late as possible, stretching the lines. I like these special stages and the driving style they demand".

Mikko Hirvonen (Ford), leader in the standings and current runner-up in the world championship: "The coaching with Rob Wilson is something I’ve been doing for the past three years and it’s been always good. The car felt excellent during the test, so we’ll see how it does on the roads. I covered 350 km in one day and that’s the same distance of the Rally de España in the three Days. I don’t feel under pressure, it’s just an exciting situation. I have the chance to win the title but I keep my feet on the ground. I don’t have any expectations and that’s the way I’ve taken off the pressure. During the last five races I’ve been proving things to myself which I needed on this day".

Dani Sordo (Citroën), 3rd in the championship: "My aim is to finish the rally second behind Seb, and that would be perfect since it would give Citroën the manufacturers’ title. We already made it, so we can make it again."