Sébastien Loeb has won round 3 of the World Rally Championship, Rally Mexico.
The Frenchman never turned a wheel wrong over the 400+ kilometres over the three days of running in the Mexican high-altitude. From the frenetic street stages, to the rock strewn gravel sectors, Loeb was in control on this his 69th career WRC victory.
In the Power Stage it was Petter Solberg taking the three bonus points for best time ahead of Loeb and Mads Ostberg. Loeb now has a 16 point lead in the championship from Hirvonen.
Jari-Matti Latvala had a rollercoaster weekend with plenty of brilliant fast times, but punctures and broken front suspension dropped him back from the two Citroens. On the mega 54.3km Guanajuatito stage he rolled up his Fiesta, destroying the front end of the Ford. Then the FIA ruled that Latvala could not continue on and he leaves Mexico with no points !
Mikko Hirvonen’s runner-up finish is a fine result, taking into account Rally Mexico was just his third event in the DS3 and who happens to be his Citroen team-mate.
Petter Solberg salvages a podium spot for Ford after what was a trying weekend of repeated punctures for the Norwegian after he had gone quickest in qualifying and SS1. Mads Ostberg kept his driving neat and tidy to take fifth, ahead of Ott Tanak. Nasser Al-Attiyah excited the spectators with his enthusiastic driving style and demeanour. Armindo Araujo, Sébastien Ogier in the VW run Skoda Fabia S2000, American showman Ken Block and local driver Ricardo Trevino complete the points scoring order.

FINAL RESULTS
1 Sébastien Loeb Citroen DS3 WRC
2 Mikko Hirvonen Citroen DS3 WRC +42.4s
3 Petter Solberg Ford Fiesta RS WRC+2:11.4s
4 Mads Ostberg Ford Fiesta RS WRC +4:51.5s
5 Ot Tanak Ford Fiesta RS WRC +5:02.6s
6 Nasser Al-Attiyah Citroen DS3 WRC + 6:41.4s
7 Arlindo Araujo Mini JCW WRC +12:46.9s
8 Sébastien Ogier  Skoda Fabia S2000 +14:57.8s
9 Ken Block Ford Fiesta RS WRC +22:26.8s
10 Ricardo Trivino Ford Fiesta RS WRC +23:30.7s

DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIP
1 Loeb 66 points
2 Hirvonen 50
3 P. Solberg 47
4 Latvala 32
5 Ostberg 28
6 Novikov 21
7 Sordo 18
8 Tanak 14
9 Delecour 8
= Al-Attiyah 8