Frenchman Loeb wins German Rally

Rallying: TRIER, Germany, Aug 28, (AFP) - France's Sebastien Loeb, the defending and six-time world champion, on Sunday won the Rally of Germany for the eighth time.

Loeb finished 51.3 seconds ahead of Spain's Dani Sordo, with fellow Frenchman Sebastien Ogier in third, in a podium cleansweep for the Citroen C4 car.

The victory was Loeb's fifth this season and 59th in his rallying career, and nudges him closer to a seventh consecutive world title.

"It is a rally where we have always enjoyed success," said Loeb. "I was very comfortable with the car, everything worked well and so another one in Germany. It's brilliant.

In a rally Loeb led from beginning to end, Ford works team driver Jari-Matti Latvala finished fourth while Citroen privateer Petter Solberg completed the top five places.

Loeb and co-driver Daniel Elena now have 191 points in the drivers' championship, 58 points clear of their closest rival, Ogier.