Hirvonen seizes control of Rally Australia

Finland's Mikko Hirvonen seized control of Rally Australia Friday on a dramatic rain-affected day which saw the two leading drivers both crash out in treacherous conditions. Hirvonen claimed an 11.3 second lead over countryman and fellow Ford Fiesta driver Jari-Matti Latvala after French pair Sebastien Loeb and Sebastien Ogier blew their chances with crashes on different stages. Before the rally began all the talk had been about the bitter rivalry between the two French teammates and whether Ogier could close the 25-point gap on Loeb at the top of the World Rally Championship. And after the first stage, a 29.03 kilometre run through the forests outside Coffs Harbour, it looked like another formality for the French duo as Loeb took the stage from Ogier by 2.6 seconds, with Hirvonen a further five seconds back. But seven-time champion Loeb rolled his car on the second stage, then the unthinkable happened when Ogier crashed into a tree on the fourth, on the same Brooklana course. "The conditions have been like hell, unbelievably slippery," said Hirvonen, who is chasing his first victory in the WRC since his triumph in Rally Sweden in February. "I went off the road (on stage six) but it was into a field so there was nothing to hit." Loeb took full responsibilty for the multiple roll that put him out of the action on a right-hand bend approximately halfway through the second stage. "I was not taking risks and I had done a very clean stage before that," he said. "I was looking at something when I saw the corner too late." Ogier then missed a golden chance to move to equal points with Loeb at the top of the WRC standings, spinning into a tree. Although he was able to continue, he stopped shortly afterwards when his Citroen's water temperature began to rise, ending his hopes of adding the Rally Australia title to the Rally of Germany crown he won in August. The rally continues with the 21.10-kilometre Welshes stage on Saturday morning.