Sebastien Loeb increased his lead in the World Rally Championship by winning the Acropolis Rally yesterday.

The French multiple world champion was leading by 10 seconds in his Citroen DS3 car going into the final day and he had no difficulty securing the 71st win of his stellar career.

It was also the third time he had won the rally in Greece after 2005 and 2008.

Team-mate Mikko Hirvonen, of Finland, took second place in what was the sixth race of the season, to give the French stable their third double of the campaign after the rallies of Mexico and Argentina.

Third place went to Jari-Matti Latvala, of Finland, in the fastest of the Fords.

It was the fourth win of the season for Loeb, who has won the world title a record eight times, and takes his lead in the overall standings this year to 30 points over Hirvonen with seven races remaining.

Mats Ostberg, of Norway, is in third a further nine points adrift after placing fourth in Greece.

“This rally was so long and difficult,” said Loeb, who survived a scare on stage 20 when he stopped to change a left-rear puncture after three kilometres.

“We had some fortune in the morning, but in general we had to fight really hard. It was really good.

“I tried to always keep my rhythm and do what I felt. I tried to manage the car and the tyres. I believe that everybody has done a great rally.”

Petter Solberg started yesterday’s five stages trailing Loeb by 10.2s only to crash out on the opening test in his Ford Fiesta RS WRC.

The Norwegian’s misfortune – he tore a rear wheel off his car after striking a tree – promoted Hirvonen up to second with Latvala securing the final podium place in third.

Leading drivers
1. Loeb 119 pts; 2. Hirvonen 89; 3. Ostberg 80; 4. Solberg 73; 5. Latvala 45; 6. Novikov 43; 7. Prokop 36; 8. Ogier 22; 8. Neuville 22; 10. Sordo 21.