Hirvonen leads in Greece as Loeb crashes out

By Graham Wood

ATHENS (Reuters) - Ford driver Mikko Hirvonen retained the overnight lead of the Acropolis Rally of Greece on Saturday while world champion Sebastian Loeb crashed out.

Hirvonen, who trails the Citroen driver by 17 points in the overall standings, led Loeb's French compatriot Sebastien Ogier by one minute and 40 seconds after an incident-free run through the second leg.

Hirvonen's team mate and fellow Finn Jari-Matti Latvala was third after ending the day two minutes and 44 seconds behind in his Focus RS car.

Russia's Evgeny Novikov was fourth in a Citroen.

On a day of searing heat and difficult conditions, Loeb started 21 seconds behind Hirvonen but the Frenchman's challenge was over halfway through the opening seventh stage when his car hit a rock, careered off the track and rolled repeatedly.

"The car is destroyed. There's no chance to return tomorrow. The race is over. We are okay, that's the main thing," said Loeb, who won in Greece last year.

Both he and his co-driver Daniel Elena escaped unhurt with the car left mangled and missing a wheel.

Citroen team mate Dani Sordo, who had been second, then hit a rock on stage nine and was also forced to retire.