Sebastien Loeb and Daniel Elena won the Rally Costa Smeralda 2011

Sebastien Loeb and Daniel Elena, Citroën DS3 WRC of the Citroen Total Team, they won the Rally of Italy Sardinia 2011 race organized by the Automobile Club of Italy valid for the World Rally Championship, the World Championship Super 2000 and the WRC Academy.

For the French, winner of seven world titles, this is the fourth success in Sardinia. Today's the last day of competition Mikko Hirvonen, Ford Fiesta WRC Abu Dhabi World Rally Team, and Petter Solberg, Citroen Ds3, have tried the latest attack on the leadership of the French but managed only to reduce some detachment from the champion who, in Actually, it seemed to control with extreme ease the outbursts of opponents. Loeb has repeatedly stressed as during the first three days of competition, there has certainly facilitated.

The attack of the winner has started from the third round of the Italian race, when he won the first of four special in which he set the fastest time, building its success with tactical intelligence. In second position have concluded the Finns of the Ford Fiesta RS WRC Ford Team Abu Dhabi World Team Mikko Hirvonen and Jarno Lehtinen, who in any case have attempted an attack on the top spot until the last meter of special, winning three races. Hirvonen has repeatedly said they do not want to give up until the finish, despite the time lost as a result of drilling had in the first day. Third place in the race for the Sardinian Norwegian Petter Solberg, another sample protagonist of the challenge for first place and winner of two special with the Citroen DS3 WRC of Petter Solberg World Rally Team, winner of the first special stage, but then forced to remount after a few problems during the first day of competition.
Behind the top three detachments are more consistent, as the other French Citroen Total Team Sebastien Ogier, who finished fourth in Olbia, in the fight for second place on the podium until the test number 16, when the collision with a stone and damage to the left rear suspension have undermined any hope for him.

Fifth position for another Norwegian Mads Ostberg at the wheel of the Ford Fiesta Team M Sport Stobart, author of a race to alternate phases characterized with some boredom mechanics too. Sixth place in the overall standings for the novice Mini John Cooper Works WRC Mini WRC Team, with which the Spaniard Daniel Sordo drove a good race, albeit with some problems of youth to the set up of the car. Seventh place in the overall standings with success among the participants in the World Super 2000 for the Estonian Ott Tanak, commanding in its category since the first day of competition and always quick with the Ford Fiesta S2000, followed by the Finnish Juho Hanninen at the wheel of Skoda Fabia S2000.

The protagonist of the Rally of Italy Sardinia 2011 was undoubtedly the Finnish Team Ford Abu Dhabi World Team, Jari Matti Latvala, winner of seven races with the Ford Fiesta RS WRC, with which he was particularly fast, thinking only success in test after an overcoat in the first day of competition ruled him from fighting for the top ten.

Winners special tests: ps. 1/17 Solberg, P.S. 3/4/6/7 Loeb, P.S. 2/5/8/18 Hirvonen, P.S. 9/10 // 11/13/14 // 15/16, P.S. 1/17 Solberg, P.S. 12 Ogier.
Provisional standings of the Rally of Italy Sardinia 2011: 1. Loeb - Elena (Citroen DS3 WRC) in 3h45'40 "9; 2. Hirvonen - Lehtinen (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) to 11 "2; 3. Solberg - Petterson (Citroen DS3 WRC) to 23 "8; 4. Ogier - Ingrassia (Citroen DS3 WRC) in 1'31 "5; 5. Ostberg - Andersson (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) in 2'42 "6; 6. Sordo - Del Barrio (Mini John Cooper Works WRC) in 3'27 "6; 7. Tanak - Sikk (Ford Fiesta Super 2000) in 7'10 "9; 8. Hanninen - Makkula (Skoda Fabia Super 2000) in 7'37 "6: 9.Wilson - Martini (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) in 8'00" 4; 10. Prokop - Tomanek (Ford Fiesta S2000) at 11'28 "2.
Provisional WRC standings: 1. Loeb, 100; 2. Hirvonen, 93; 3. Ogier, 81; 4. Latvala, 68; 5. Solberg, 46.
Provisional standings SWRC (S2000): 1. Tanak, 1.Prokop 40, 40; 2. Kruuda, 38; 3. 4. Hanninen, 36; 5. Sousa, 25; 5. Gassner, 25.