Reigning FIA World Rally Champions Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena won the Movistar RallyRACC Catalunya - Costa Daurada, which finished in Salou this afternoon. The Citroën Xsara crew claimed the lead at the end of the opening leg and take maximum points for the second consecutive event to retain their lead in the FIA World Rally Championship. The Kronos Total Citroën World Rally Team also maintains its advantage in the Manufacturers’ Championship, despite the retirement of Xavier Pons in the team’s second registered car.
Local hero Daniel Sordo took second position in another Citroën Xsara, but it was Ford’s Marcus Grönholm who once again set the stages alight with a great drive from 10th at the end of the first leg to third overall this afternoon. The Finn retains his second position in the series but trails Loeb by nine points, despite also claiming two rally victories this season.
Alexandre Bengue put in a fine performance to take a closely-fought fourth in a privately-entered Peugeot 307 WRC, with two further privateers, Jan Kopecky and François Duval, taking fifth and sixth respectively, both in Škoda Fabia WRCs.
The fifth round of the FIA World Rally Championship takes the crews to the Mediterranean island of Corsica for the second consecutive asphalt event of the season. The Rallye de France - Tour de Corse takes place between 7-9 April.
Movistar RallyRACC Catalunya - Costa Daurada – Final Results
| 1 | Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena | Citroën Xsara WRC | 3 hr 22 min 01.7sec |
| 2 | Daniel Sordo/Marc Marti | Citroën Xsara WRC | 3 hr 22 min 49.9sec |
| 3 | Marcus Grönholm/Timo Rautiainen | Ford Focus RS WRC | 3 hr 23 min 47.5sec |
| 4 | Alexandre Bengue/Caroline Escudero | Peugeot 307 WRC | 3 hr 24 min 03.6sec |
| 5 | Jan Kopecky/Filip Schovánek | Škoda Fabia WRC | 3 hr 24 min 58.9sec |
| 6 | François Duval/Patrick Privato | Škoda Fabia WRC | 3 hr 25 min 39.5sec |
FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers (after 4 of 16 rounds)
| Sébastien Loeb (F) | 36 points |
| Marcus Grönholm (S) | 27 points |
| Daniel Sordo (E) | 14 points |
| Manfred Stohl (A) | 11 points |
| Petter Solberg (N) | 10 points |
| Toni Gardemeister (FIN) | 6 points |
| Daniel Carlsson (S) | 6 points |
| Chris Atkinson (AUS) | 5 points |
| Gigi Galli (I) | 5 points |
| Alexandre Bengue (F) | 5 points |
FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers (after 4 of 16 rounds)
| Kronos Total Citroën World Rally Team | 44 points |
| BP-Ford World Rally Team | 42 points |
| Subaru World Rally Team | 31 points |
| OMV Peugeot Norway | 21 points |
| Stobart VK M-Sport Ford World Rally Team | 10 points |
| Red Bull-Škoda Team | 8 points |
Note to Editors: For a copyright free image of rally winner Sébastien Loeb, please click here.
