Double world champion Sebastien Loeb equalled Carlos Sainz' record of 26 championship wins in the Rally of Germany here on Sunday. The 32-year-old Citroen Xsara ace captured his fifth successive victory in this ninth leg of the season to stretch his lead in the driver's title race to 33 points over Marcus Gronholm.
Loeb was followed home in Germany by his Citroen team-mate Daniel Sordo of Spain, who came in over half a minute behind, with Finland's Gronholm in a Ford Focus 2min 19sec adrift in third.
In triumphing in Germany the 32-year-old Loeb, France's most successful driver of all time, drew clear of Britain's Colin McRae in the all time winners' list.
Loeb, who has the chance to claim the outright record in Finland next weekend, already holds the record of number of wins in one season - 10 in 2005 - and he is the only driver to have won at 14 different venues.
Loeb, who moved on to 84 points in the driver's standings, said: "It's an honour for me to be on the same step as Carlos.
"It is anything but automatic that I keep winning in Germany. There was a lot of hard work behind all of these victories." Loeb, who was in command from day one, held on despite failing to add to his six stage wins with Sordo claiming one of Sunday's specials and Gardemeister the remaining three to consolidate his fourth place.