Loeb claims record ninth world rally title

Sebastien Loeb was crowned world rally champion for a record ninth successive time with two legs of the season still to come here on Sunday. The French rally great clinched the title with victory in the Rally of France, leaving him with an unassailable lead in the overall standings. There was double joy for his team Citroen who claimed the constructors title for the eighth time. Loeb\'s win in his hometown of Haguenau in Alsace pushed him up to 244 points in the drivers\' title race with his teammate, Mikko Hirvonen who finished third, on 173 points and out of contention for the title with rallies in Italy and Spain remaining. \"I am the nonuple champion...nonuple, I don\'t even know this word, I\'ll have to learn it now!\" said Loeb who is planning to compete in only four or five rallies next season as he shifts his focus to the Touring Car Championship. He added: \"The last day was very complicated. In the morning there was a lot of aquaplaning. I really scared myself during the first special stage when I came out of a bend too wide. \"But it was ok in the end. Then this afternoon I just looked after myself.\" Loeb had a 15.5second cushion over second-placed Jari-Matti Latvala in a Ford Focus with Hirvonen 44sec back in third.