Rally Australia moves to a new part of the country—the roads and forests of northern New South Wales state—but two of the drivers at the top of the world championship standings after nine rounds are familiar faces.
Finland’s Mikko Hirvonen has a three-point lead over five-time world champion Sebastien Loeb in a points race that looked for a while like it would be no contest.
Citroen driver Loeb, 35, appeared certain to take a sixth straight title after he won the first five legs of the 12-event Rally World Championship series. But the Frenchman has been outscored 38-15 over the last four events by Ford’s Hirvonen, who won each of the last three rallies.
Hirvonen said there was no pressure on him going into the race.
“Well no, I’m the one who is leading, so I think it should be the (other) guys, who have the pressure,” Hirvonven told.
“Obviously it’s never going to be easy against Sebastien, but people were saying the same thing to me (before the event) in Finland, but I was really relaxed. I’m quite easy-going anyway. I just don’t take any pressure.”
Loeb said he’s ready to resume his duel with Hironven.
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