Five-time reigning world champion Sebastien Loeb has already won the first three races of 2009 and aims to continue his hot streak of form in the Rally of Portugal from Friday to Sunday.

Loeb claimed his 50th world championship victory in the Rally of Cyprus three weeks ago to consolidate his lead from Finland's Mikko Hirvonen and Citroen team-mate Dani Sordo of Spain in the overall standings of this 12-race series.

Loeb won the Rally of Portugal in 2007, when it last counted as a round of the World Rally Championship (WRC), and rates the event as one of his favourites.

"We always get an excellent welcome and it's nice to feel that our sport counts for the people here, and that the WRC is seen as a major event," he said.

"I love the stages; they are very varied with a range of different surface types. The weather tends to be good, too, so it's basically got all the ingredients anyone could ask for to be a great weekend."

As the first all-gravel round of the year, Portugal is a useful indicator of performance on other loose surface events later in the season. Loeb, however, thinks his car has already proved its versatility across a range of conditions.

"We kicked off the season with three very specific rallies, and Portugal is the first round to feature a more conventional format and spirit," he said.

"Given the level we have reached with the development of the car, we have a shrewd idea of where we stand. In Cyprus, for example, we worked from the same basic set-up we used in Wales. That suggests that our car is versatile enough to adapt to all types of terrain."

Loeb?s team-mate Sordo was third in the Rally of Portugal two years ago and is hoping for another top three finish this year.

"There are plenty of new stages, but I enjoy this rally which is very varied," said Sordo.

"The stages are narrow in places, and fast and wider in others. It's a concentrate of what we will find in Argentina, Greece and Sardinia later in the year."

Dani will be able to count on the support of fans who make the trip from nearby Spain: "If only for them, I will give it my very best shot. It's always nice to feel their support behind me. As in 2007, my aim will be to finish on the podium," he said.

Thursday sees the short, opening super special, but the 18-special stage rally starts in earnest on Friday and runs till Sunday.