Dani Sordo (Mini), the star of the day. Loeb, Latvala and Hirvonen getting closer to podium

(11/11/2012)

Dani Sordo (Mini). RallyRACC 2012

On dry roads and with the overall classification basically stable, participants in the 48 RallyRACC Catalunya-COSTA DAURADA, Rally de España 2012, completed the first loop of the final day. Today’s times confirmed the prevailing trend in the general classification, heralding final results which could remain unchanged. Sébastien Loeb-Daniel Elena (Citroën DS3 WRC) can smell his eight consecutive win in the Costa Daurada, while Jari-Matti Latvala-Miikka Anttila (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) and Mikko Hirvonen-Jarmo Lehtinen (Citroën DS3 WRC) have nearly secured the other two podium places.

Nevertheless, the main protagonist of the day was the Spanish Dani Sordo (Mini John Cooper Works WRC) who won the stages of “Riudecanyes-1” and “Santa Marina 1”. Although he has no chance to get in the points positions, Sordo showed the talent he has on tarmac when he can count on a good car. To complete his show, Sordo set yet another fastest time in “La Serra d’Almos 2” stage, so three of three for the Mini-Prodrive driver. Loeb and Latvala followed him in the three stages.

In the lower categories, after the end of the WRC Academy yesterday, with victory for José Antonio Suárez ahead of Pontus Tidemand and the series Champion Elfyn Evans, the PWRC is still open. Mexican Benito Guerra (Mitsubishi) could achieve the victory of this round and the World title today, while at the SWRC, Craig Breen (Ford) is for now in a position to win the Championship but still fighting with Per-Gunnar Andersson (Proton). Over at the Rally Class, Yuriy Protasov (Subaru) is about to secure the win.

After the Service in PortAventura, the participants will face the second loop of the day, again with 3 stages: Riudecanyes, Santa Marina (which will be the power stage that will give extra points to the top three) and La Serra d’Almos. After a quick final visit to the PortAventura Service, the podium will await the survivor’s arrival from 15:02.

RallyRACC Provisional Classification after three stages of the 3rd day (SS15)
1-Sébastien Loeb-Daniel Elena (Citroën DS3 WRC), 3h.45’18”8
2-Jari-Matti Latvala-Miikka Anttila (Ford Fiesta RS WRC), a 24”7
3-Mikko Hirvonen-Jarmo Lehtinen (Citroën DS3 WRC), a 1’24”3
4-Mads Ostberg-Jonas Andersson (Ford Fiesta RS WRC), a 1’44”2
5-Ott Tänak-Kuldar Sikk (Ford Fiesta RS WRC), a 1’57”0

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