MONACO (AP) — Eight-time world champion Sebastien Loeb took the lead on the first day of the season-opening Monte Carlo rally on Wednesday after Jari-Matti Latvala rolled his car and went out of contention.
Loeb powered his Citroen to the fastest time in three of the day’s four stages and the Frenchman leads Daniel Sordo of Spain by just over one minute. Petter Solberg of Norway is close behind Sordo in third.
Latvala dominated the day’s second stage and led Loeb by nearly one minute after three stages, but the Finnish driver crashed his Ford after hitting an embankment early in the fourth.
Latvala and his co-driver were unharmed but had to abandon the race.
