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Loeb claims Rally of Mexico

Leon - Reigning world champion Sebastien Loeb of France won the Rally of Mexico for the fifth time on Sunday, as overnight leader Sebastien Ogier crashed out.

The Citroen Racing DS3 driver finished ahead of Finnish pair Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala to notch up the 63rd victory of his career.

It is the first victory this season for the seven-time world champion who finished a disappointing sixth in the season-opening Rally of Sweden, and his first triumph in Citroen's new DS3 car.

Loeb powered back after being hit with a 50-second penalty on Saturday ahead of SS15 which he started with a five minute delay caused by a faulty bolt in the gear selection mechanism.

And he was helped to victory after French teammate Ogier crashed into a low wall during SS20 at Guanajuatito and lost a tyre while leading Loeb by ten seconds.

Loeb achieved the fastest time in SS20 to take the lead and held his advantage in the final two stages to finish over a minute and a half ahead of Hirvonen, winner in Sweden last month, with Latvala two minutes off the pace.

Loeb already won in Mexico in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2010.

Final Rally of Mexico standings:

1. Sebastien Loeb-Daniel Elena (FRA-MON/Citroen DS3) 3hr 53min 17.0sec
2. Mikko Hirvonen-Jarmo Lehtinen (FIN/Ford Fiesta RS) at 1min 38.4sec
3. Jari-Matti Latvala-Miikka Anttila (FIN/Ford Fiesta RS) 2:23.9
4. Petter Solberg-Chris Patterson (NOR-GBR/Citroen DS3) 7:18.4
5. Mads Ostberg-Jonas Andersson (NOR-SWE/Ford Fiesta RS) 8:43.5
6. Henning Solberg-Ilka Minor (NOR-AUT/Ford Fiesta RS) 9:50.0
7. Nasser Al-Attiyah-Giovanni Bernacchini (UAE-ITA/Ford Fiesta) 13:21.5
8. Martin Prokop-Jan Tomanek (CZE/Ford Fiesta S2000) 13:35.0
9. Juho Hanninen-Mikko Markkula (FIN/Skoda Fabia S2000) 14:48.7
10. Federico Villagra-Jorge Perez-Companc (ARG/Ford Fiesta RS) 48:17.2

Special stage winners: 

Loeb - SS4, SS5, SS8, SS9, SS11, SS14, SS18, SS19, SS20
Ogier - SS2, SS3, SS6, SS7, SS10
P. Solberg - SS1, SS12, SS13, SS15, SS16
Latvala - SS17, SS21
Hirvonen - SS22

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