Loeb: it’s good to be back

Five-time world champion Sebastien Loeb has talked of his relief to make it back to the podium of a WRC round on last week’s Rally Finland.

Loeb’s run of three rallies without a podium finish is the longest the Frenchman has been without collecting a top-three result on a world rally since the Cyprus Rally in June, 2003.

Loeb said: “I'm glad to get back on the podium. I have not been accustomed to victory for some time, or the podium, then to climb the stairs again, this is not so bad. I still collected big points even if I wanted to score some more.”

He also paid tribute to his Ford rival Mikko Hirvonen, saying: “Bravo to [Mikko] Hirvonen. He did a great race, very fast and without making a mistake. He made the difference. We both drove flat out for a long time and broke many stage records. I can tell you we were going fast.”

The Frenchman confessed the ultra-fast Finnish lanes still don’t come as naturally to him as the switchback asphalt roads of central and southern Europe.

“Finding the rhythm where we don’t take risks but are still advancing,” said Loeb, “that’s the difficult part, especially on a rally such as Finland, which is not natural for me. I drive more easily on asphalt.”