Loeb came through a thrilling semi-final encounter with Ekstrom to make the final, winning a narrowly fought third race to join Vettel, who defeated nine-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen in the other semi, in the winner-takes-all bout.
The nine-time World Rally champion, who secured his 80th WRC victory on last month’s Monte Carlo Rally, edged Vettel in a competitive opening heat in the final aboard the Polaris RZR after the four-time Formula 1 world champion hit the wall exiting the final turn on lap one.
Loeb then made it 2-0 with victory in the second heat, a closer affair in which Vettel held a narrow first-lap advantage before dropping time on the second lap.
Vettel then forced a decider after a rare mistake from Loeb in the third heat; the Frenchman backed his RX2e electric rallycross car into the snowbank at the start of the second lap, allowing Vettel – who earlier clipped the wall under the bridge – an easy run to the flag.
The final duel, back in the Polaris, went…
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