Loeb just a win away from defending title

Dubai: There's a saying in the world of motorsport, which goes something like this: 'If the accelerator isn't flat on the floor, the driver isn't driving too fast. And, if the brake pedal isn't flat on the floor, the car for sure is heading for a crash.'

Motor rallying is much about striking that fine balance between the accelerator and the brake - two of the most important ingredients for survival on the fast lane. Given Sebastien Loeb's spectacular win and Marcus Gronholm's devastating crash at Rally Ireland late last month, it only goes to show that success or failure is often just a gear-grid away in these races.

Finn Gronholm, the The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority-backed BP-Ford World Rally Team driver, had headed into Rally Ireland with a four-point lead over arch-rival Loeb of Citroen Total.

Crash

However, a severe crash on the very first day of the rally forced Gronholm out of the race, even as the Frenchman powered his Citroen Xsara virtually to a start-to-finish win.

The victory in Ireland helped Loeb secure 10 points and thereby wipe out the four-point difference with Gronholm.

Heading into the Wales Rally, that got off to a start yesterday, defending champion Loeb was on top in the drivers' standings for the World Rally Championship with 110 points.

The victory in Ireland was worth 10 points, while Gronholm remained stuck on 104 because of the crash. A win in Wales will be enough for Loeb to retain his crown as the drivers' champion.

As for Gronholm, he will not only have to win but at the same time hope that rival Loeb finishes lower than fifth in the standings at Great Britain to be really able to snatch the crown away from the Frenchman.

The battle for the drivers' championship may well go down to the wire in the season-ending show in Wales - unless of course there's another crash waiting to happen just round that bend!