NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport

Motorsport: Loeb gets clear run to third NZ title

Eric Thompson
By Eric Thompson
NZ Herald·
24 Jun, 2012 05:30 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Sebastien Loeb (FRA) and co-driver Daniel Elena (MCO) compete in their Citroen DS3 WRC during Day Two of the Brother Rally New Zealand. Photo / File

Sebastien Loeb (FRA) and co-driver Daniel Elena (MCO) compete in their Citroen DS3 WRC during Day Two of the Brother Rally New Zealand. Photo / File

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

With team orders not to have a go at each other over the final day, eight-time world champion Sebastien Loeb had an unchallenged run to the final time-check to win the Brother Rally New Zealand and his third Kiwi title in eight years.

Loeb and his Citroen teammate Mikko Hirvonen had been trading blows over the previous two days with the Frenchman edging the Finn by 6.4secs at the close of play on day two.

Day three was a bit of a damp squib as Citroen team principal Yves Matton had decided that after two days of battling each other, Loeb and Hirvonen were to play the long game and look at the championship as a whole.

"My fifth win of the season means it's going very well for me and I have a good lead now," said Loeb. "The car was really strong and the team has done a great job. It was a pleasure to win here in New Zealand. The roads are very beautiful and it was a great fight with Mikko over some very nice rally roads."

Hirvonen, who remains second in the race for the 2012 title, played it safe to stay on the road and keep the flying Petter Solberg at bay over the closing stages of the rally.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Sebastien and I had an amazing fight over the first two days and I just wanted to bring the car home safely on the last day," said Hirvonen. "Fair play to him, [Loeb]. I just couldn't beat him this weekend and had to settle for second place this time."

Solberg was content with his third place at round seven of the FIA WRC event, as he knew he could not make up the 1min 26secs gap to Hirvonen on the last day of the rally.

"It's a great feeling as it's been a long, hard rally," said Solberg. "I'm a little bit disappointed with what happened on the first day [wrong tyre choice]. It's good to be on the podium and good points for the team."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Jari-Matti Latvala's chances of defending his New Zealand title came to an end when he got tangled in a farmer's fence on day one, dropping over four minutes on the leaders. Once he had his confidence back Latvala was soon flying again and at times setting the fastest stage times and finished seventh overall.

"I'm quite all right now and I'm pleased I managed to win the power stage and get the three extra points," said Latvala. "I'm happy as I found the speed again and we did some testing in preparation for the next rally in Finland."

After a steady second day, following the dramas of day one when his gearbox quit on him, New Zealander Hayden Paddon struggled a bit on the last day. Overnight his team had experimented with changing the dampeners to find a bit more speed but it was to no avail.

However, such was Paddon's commanding 38-minute lead over his nearest challenger in the S2000 class that his category win was never in doubt. The Kiwi now leads the S2000 championship.

Discover more

New Zealand

Motorsport: Loeb still in control at Rally NZ

23 Jun 05:30 PM
Motorsport

Motorsport: Coppins is confident

27 Jun 05:30 PM
Sport|motorsport

Motorsport: Rally NZ round-up

26 Jun 05:30 PM

"A good result but that's about as much as you can say about the weekend," said Paddon. "It's been a difficult weekend and we had a few more problems today. There's still a bit to work on with the car and maybe we have to get someone in with a bit of experience on these cars to help us a bit more."

Richard Mason completed a wire-to-wire win in the domestic New Zealand Rally Championship to extend his lead over Emma Gilmour and Matt Jansen in the title race after four rounds.

"It's been a long hard rally for us really and we've had a few small issues with the car," said a relieved Mason. "Overall it's been a fantastic weekend and just one more rally to go so we're close to getting it [the championship] in the bag."

POINTS TABLE

1. Sebastien Loeb, Citroen - 145
2. Mikko Hirvonen, Citroen - 107
3. Petter Solberg, Ford - 90
4. Mads Osberg, Ford - 80
5. Jari-Matti Latvala, Ford - 54

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Sport

Sport

Young internationally-ranked NZ sportsman cops ban after cocaine use

01 Jul 07:35 AM
Sailing|sailgp

Fore the Record: Blair Tuke tees off on America's Cup and SailGP goals

01 Jul 06:01 AM
Sport

Fore The Record with Blair Tuke

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Sport

Young internationally-ranked NZ sportsman cops ban after cocaine use

Young internationally-ranked NZ sportsman cops ban after cocaine use

01 Jul 07:35 AM

The athlete argued that his use of cocaine was unrelated to sport performance.

Fore the Record: Blair Tuke tees off on America's Cup and SailGP goals

Fore the Record: Blair Tuke tees off on America's Cup and SailGP goals

01 Jul 06:01 AM
Fore The Record with Blair Tuke

Fore The Record with Blair Tuke

Al Hilal stun Manchester City with 4-3 win in Club World Cup thriller

Al Hilal stun Manchester City with 4-3 win in Club World Cup thriller

01 Jul 05:26 AM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP