 Frenchman Loeb is destined for his third world title |
Citroen's Sebastien Loeb is closing in on a record 27th win after ending the second leg of the Rally of Japan 25.6 seconds clear of his nearest rival. The world champion took the lead when he won stage 14, the day's fourth, after Ford's Marcus Gronholm span near the start line and lost 23 seconds.
Gronholm, who won the day's first two stages, also went into a ditch on stage 15 and now lies in second place.
Team-mate Mikko Hirvonen is in third spot, 103 seconds adrift of Loeb.
Australian Chris Atkinson was fourth in Subaru's home race but a massive four minutes 24.1 seconds behind Loeb.
Loeb has yet to win in Japan, a rally that made its championship debut two years ago.
 | I don't understand why I made such mistakes |
But he is in sight of the victory that would take him past the record 27 race wins he shares with Spaniard Carlos Sainz.
Loeb, whose third world title in a row is a foregone conclusion given his 31-point lead over Gronholm with five rounds remaining after Japan, remains in cautious mood.
"Nothing is finished," said the Frenchman. "The fight will continue, I think. I'm sure I will have to push very hard. I was pushing Marcus but now he will push me."
Gronholm had no explanation for his error-strewn day.
"It was slippery and I made too many mistakes," he said.
"Firstly I hooked a wheel off the road on a right hand bend in a narrow section and spun. I had to reverse and turn around.
"Then on the next stage I went off at a slow left corner and had to reverse back onto the stage. I don't understand why I made such mistakes."
Englishman Matthew Wilson's push for a points finish is over after turbo problems this morning cost him 45 minutes.
The Stobart Ford driver had been ninth overall but suffered a loss of power before getting his car stuck in a ditch on stage 14.
Overall standings after leg two:
1. Sebastien Loeb (Fr) Citroen 2:27:45.700
2. Marcus Gronholm (Fin) Ford +00:25.600
3. Mikko Hirvonen (Fin) Ford +01:43.100
4. Chris Atkinson (Aus) Subaru +04:24.100
5. Manfred Stohl (Aut) Peugeot +04:40.400
6. Dani Sordo (Sp) Citroen +05:25.600
7. Petter Solberg (Nor) Subaru +05:31.700
8. Toshi Arai (Jpn) Subaru +06:39.700
9. Luis Perez Companc (Arg) Ford +07:53.000
10. Gareth McHale (Irl) Ford +09:23.100
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