TOKYO—World champion Sebastien Loeb has a record 27th victory in his sights after seizing the lead in the Rally of Japan from overnight pace-setter Marcus Gronholm on Saturday.
The Frenchman went clear at the top after winning the 14th stage, the day's fourth, while Ford's Gronholm spun near the start line and lost 23 seconds on the gravel roads in the northern island of Hokkaido.
Gronholm, who won the day's first two stages, also went into a ditch on stage 15.
After 17 stages, with four more to complete the second of the rally's three legs, Loeb's Citroen Xsara was 31.1 seconds clear of Gronholm with Ford's Mikko Hirvonen a distant third and one minute 31.8 seconds off the pace.
Loeb has yet to win in Japan, a rally that made its championship debut two years ago, and a victory on Sunday would be the 27th of his career – one more than the record he shares with retired Spaniard Carlos Sainz.
The double champion, who leads Gronholm by 31 points in the overall standings with five rounds remaining after Japan, remained cautious.
"Nothing is finished," he said. "The fight will continue, I think. I'm sure I will have to push very hard. I was pushing Marcus but now he will push me."
Australian Chris Atkinson had moved up to fourth place in Subaru's home race but a massive four minutes and one second behind Loeb.
He had Austrian Manfred Stohl just 5.8 seconds behind him in a Peugeot.
Subaru's Local hope Toshi Arai hit a rock and went off the road into the forest on stage 16. He was unhurt but slipped to eighth place after 17 stages.
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