WRC 2018 12 2018-10-25 2018-10-25 https://r2.thesportsdb.com/images/media/event/thumb/238l5u1527704411.jpg https://r2.thesportsdb.com/images/media/event/poster/xg81eq1527704383.jpg The Rally Catalunya (formerly: Rallye Catalunya) is a rally competition held in Catalonia region of Spain, on the World Rally Championship schedule. Now held on the wide, smooth and sweeping asphalt roads around the town of Salou, Costa Daurada, it was previously held around the region of Costa Brava. Rally de Catalunya was first held in 1957; in 1988 it was merged with the Rally Costa Brava and renamed as Rally Catalunya – Costa Brava. Relocated to Salou in 2002 and after being a pure asphalt event, it developed into a mixed surface event in 2010. Sébastien Loeb dominated the rally, winning every year between 2005 and 2012. Nine-time world champion Sébastien Loeb won his first WRC event for more than five years in a pulsating finale to RallyRACC Catalunya. Sébastien Loeb, making his final guest appearance of the season with Citroën Racing, edged defending title holder Sébastien Ogier by 2.9s in an intense finale to the four-day mixed surface event. Loeb, who retired from full-time competition in 2012, last stood on the winners’ podium in Argentina in 2013. He lay third overnight, but charged into the lead by winning Sunday’s opening two speed tests. The asphalt roads dried quickly after overnight rain and the 44-year-old was the only front-running driver to gamble on Michelin’s hard compound tyres, which provided better grip than the softer option favoured by his rivals. Ogier’s consolation was that he regained the championship lead by three points from Thierry Neuville with one round remaining. The Belgian was relegated from third to fourth, and missed out on crucial bonus points, after hitting a stone near the finish. 574084