Finland’s Marcus Grönholm has moved back into the lead of the World Rally Championship by winning the Rally Italia after main rival Sébastien Loeb spun off in leg three.
Before sliding into a ditch and into retirement, the Frenchman looked set to take his fourth consecutive victory despite suffering a lack of grip on the loose gravel stages during leg one.
Grönholm’s team-mate Mikko Hirvonen finished in second, which helped the Ford Rally team to remain ahead of Citroën in the manufacturers’ standings.
Dani Sordo came home in third, ahead of the Solberg brothers (Henning and Petter respectively).