Loeb wins in Mexico for third year in a row

France's Sebastien Loeb won Rally Mexico for the third year in a row yesterday to cut Mikko Hirvonen's championship lead to a single point.

The 34-year-old Citroen driver, chasing his fifth successive world title this season, beat Australian Chris Atkinson by one minute 6.1 seconds.

Second place was a career-best finish for Subaru's Atkinson, who finished 33.6 seconds ahead of Ford's third-placed Jari-Matti Latvala.

Hirvonen was fourth. The Finn now has 21 points to Loeb's 20 with Latvala on 16 after three rounds of the championship. Champions Ford have 37 points to Citroen and Subaru's 25.

Yesterday's 18th Guanajuatito stage, at 22.3 km the longest of the final leg on the high-altitude gravel roads around Leon, was cancelled for safety reasons due to the large number of roadside spectators.

With only one full stage remaining after that before the closing sprint, Loeb knew his lead was safe and was able to take it easy.

"There's always a bit more pressure when you are some points behind," said the Frenchman, who had crashed out in Sweden. "But okay, I always expected to do a good job here in Mexico.

"This rally has not been so easy, I had a big battle with Jari-Matti but we got the result we came for finally," he told the official wrc.com Web site.

"Latvala and the Ford have been very strong though. I remember last year we were a bit faster here than the Ford but now we are very similar. I hope we will not be behind on the future gravel rallies."