Rally Finland - The championship starts in Finland !

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Sébastien Loeb, who will begin Rally Finland with a one-point deficit compare with Mikko Hirvonen, believes that the Drivers' World Rally Championship will really start in Jyväskylä! The five-time World Champion and his co-driver Daniel Elena will be hoping to repeat their memorable victory of 2008 as they attempt to regain the upper hand in the series. Meanwhile, Citroën Total World Rally Team continues to enjoy a handsome cushion at the top of the Manufacturers' standings, while Dani Sordo and Marc Marti are targeting a podium finish in Finland, a terrain on which they feel increasingly at ease.

The high-speed stages, spectacular jumps and concealed corners of the former 1000 Lakes Rally are a unique challenge for any driver, and more especially so for those who weren't raised in Finland! This round has counted towards the World Championship 33 times, yet only three non-Nordics have succeeded in popping the champagne in Jyväskylä in that time, namely Carlos Sainz, Didier Auriol and … Sébastien Loeb who took the top prize last year after a thrilling duel with Mikko Hirvonen.

Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena would obviously like to repeat that achievement on their main rival's home turf. "It would clearly be more comfortable if we had a lead of, say, 20 points going into this rally. That said, we were only three points clear of Mikko before last year's visit," recalls Seb. "This time, the gap is even narrower, and there are only four more rallies to come this season. As I see it, it's as though the championship will be beginning afresh in Finland, and our only option will be to attack."