SS15: Latvala grabs top spot

Ford driver passes Citroen’s world champion Loeb for lead in Wales

Jari-Matti Latvala has snatched the lead of Wales Rally GB from Sebastien Loeb while Mads Ostberg has revealed an engine problem could wreck his hopes of a podium finish.

Latvala turned a deficit of 7.3s prior to the stage start into a lead of 1.3s after he was 8.6s faster than world champion Loeb through the repeat of the Hafren test.

Despite his pace, Latvala said it had been difficult to make it through the stage unscathed. “It’s a tight situation and I was pushing on that stage,” admitted the factory Ford Abu Dhabi pilot. “It was very demanding, very difficult conditions and very slippery. The road was polished and it was difficult to grip.”

Citroen ace Loeb, who clinched his eighth world title when Mikko Hirvonen retired on Friday, said: “I was pushing very hard but honestly it’s so slippery. I have absolutely no grip. I tried but I cannot do any better. I don’t give up but I can’t do any better on this one.”

Ostberg, in third position in his M-Sport Stobart Fiesta, said: “It’s not good, we have engine problems. We changed everything in service but it’s getting worse and worse.”

The MINI WRC Team’s efforts to repair Kris Meeke’s John Cooper Works WRC in service were rewarded when the Briton set the third fastest time. Meeke reported a lack of grip in the slippery conditions but has nevertheless moved ahead of Matthew Wilson into fifth overall.