Citroen takes Monte Carlo Rally

26 January 2004: Sebastien Loeb (Citroen) scored his second consecutive win on the FIA World Rally Championship, on the prestigious Monte Carlo Rally yesterday.

He and his Monaco born team-mate Daniel Elena, their Xsara WRC and the whole Citroën team claimed a clear win in the Monaco harbour area.

But Ford leads the Championship after claiming a double podium finish. Markko Märtin was second in a Focus RS World Rally Car with team-mate François Duval third in a similar car after three days of tough competition in the snowy and icy French Alps. Ford holds a four-point lead at the top of the championship.

Teams head for Sweden next and the only all-snow round in the championship.

The Monte Carlo Rally is regarded as the elite event in the 16-round championship and treacherous conditions on the narrow Alpine mountain roads ensured the event lived up to its reputation as one of the most difficult. Competitors faced snow, ice, fog and streaming wet asphalt - often encountering all within a few kilometres of each other.

©2004 irishcar.com