14 Jun 2009

Loeb crashes out of Acropolis Rally

6:59 am on 14 June 2009

The world champion driver Sebastien Loeb has crashed out of the Acropolis Rally in Greece, spinning off the road during Saturday's first stage.

Neither the Frenchman nor his co-driver Daniel Elena were injured but their Citroen was badly damaged.

Ford driver Mikko Hirvonen retained the overnight lead.

Hirvonen, who trails Loeb by 17 points in the overall standings, led the Citroen driver's compatriot Sebastien Ogier by one minute and 40 seconds after an incident-free run through the second leg.

Hirvonen's team-mate and fellow-Finn Jari-Matti Latvala was third after ending the day two minutes and 44 seconds behind in his Focus RS car.

Russia's Evgeny Novikov was fourth in a Citroen.