Loeb closer to title

Frenchman Sebastien Loeb moved closer to a fifth consecutive world title when he won the French rally in Corsica yesterday.

The Citroen driver has now won 10 times this season and leads Finn Mikko Hirvonen, second in Corsica, by 14 points with two races to go.

Ford's Hirvonen had dropped to fifth after losing two minutes and 34 seconds because of a puncture in the 13th stage.

However, he was fourth after stage 14 and climbed back to finish second ahead of team-mate François Duval, of Belgium, and compatriot Jari-Matti Latvala after being helped to win the final stage.

"There was a hole in the road and I didn't have it in my pace notes," Hirvonen said.

Despite his own reluctance, the Finn benefited from team orders to move past the Fords of Latvala and Duval.

"If things stay the same we will look to get Mikko the best possible chance of winning the championship by moving him up to second," Ford team principal Malcolm Wilson had said after the 13th stage.

Ford moved within 23 points of Citroen in the manufacturers' standings after Loeb's team-mate, Dani Sordo, of Spain, crashed out of the first leg on Friday.

The next race is in Japan from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2.