Driving a Citroën Xsara at the Ajaccio-based event, Loeb was in dominant form.
Such was his dominance, the Frenchman became the first driver to win every stage of a WRC rally. Even today, he remains the only driver to have achieved such a feat in the championship’s 50-year history.
Sadly, though, Loeb’s Citroën team couldn’t share his delight. His team-mate François Duval rolled from fourth overall on the final day - dashing any hopes of sealing the manufacturers’ title that weekend.
"I am disappointed with François," then team principal Guy Fréquelin said at the time.
"He wasn't feeling very well this morning. I therefore suggested that he didn't try to catch (third-placed) Petter Solberg, and that he should even let (fifth-placed) Stéphane Sarrazin pass if he got close. He was totally free to slow if he wished."
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