Can Loeb make dream WRC winning return?

March 6, 2018 0 Comments

Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena return to the FIA World Rally Championship this weekend, when the nine time world champions contest Rally Mexico in their Citroën C3 WRC.

Having won the event six times (2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2012) in their eight appearances, can they make it a dream WRC winning return? Testing’s one thing, but it will be fascinating to see how they get on against crews who are WRC match fit. After all, Loeb’s last full WRC season was in 2012 and he has contested just four WRC events since then. He’s also only started seven conventional rallies in the last four years, although he did win five of them (four with his wife Séverine co-driving). There is no doubt Loeb is looking forward to Rally Mexico – every bit as much as rally fans are looking forward to seeing him back in the WRC.

"This is a rally that I have always loved, so I have high hopes I will enjoy these stages in the C3 WRC, which is an exciting car to drive,” says Loeb. “Other than that, I have the same uncertainties as everyone else: although I hope to be more or less on the pace, I have no idea where I stand in relation to the other drivers, so I can't wait to get started! You have to bear in mind that this is still the world championship! The other drivers haven't stood still over the last few years… In any case, I'm pleased with the testing we did. I covered almost 500 kilometres in two days. I found the C3 WRC well balanced and I felt that it had improved again since my last test outing at the end of 2017.

“I have tried to give myself every chance by spending some time in a DS3 WRC beforehand to get the feeling and my reflexes back, and by watching some on-board video footage from previous rallies. 28% of the course is going to be new to me, compared with just 4% for the others, but that's pretty positive because it is one of the events I still know best.

“However, my memories of the 72% that I have driven before go back six years, so I've done a little bit of work so that I don't feel completely disorientated. I hope my position in Friday's running order [11th] will help me to get my bearings because with the current regulations, you really need to have a good first day, otherwise your rally suffers."

Rally Mexico is the first of three WRC events that Loeb will contest this year, along with the Tour of Corsica (April 6-8) and Rally Spain (October 26-28).

Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena wear Stilo WRC Zero helmets.