Sébastien Loeb was the author of a January 2022 to be framed. First the second place overall in the Car category obtained at the Dakar, then the sensational victories at the Rallye Monte-Carlo – the first event of the WRC 2022 – and at the Race of Champions held on the snows of Sweden.
The 48-year-old Alsatian does not seem to want to hang up his helmet. Indeed, he is increasingly involved in different categories of motorsport in which he has shown over time that he is still a very competitive driver. But what remained in his eyes was above all the great victory in the Principality, at the wheel of a Ford Puma Rally1 Hybrid EcoBoost of the M-Sport Ford team.
Loeb beat – with skill, but also with a good dose of luck – Sébastien Ogier and the GR Yaris Rally1, immediately leading Puma to victory and bringing M-Sport back to success after more than 2 years from the last top step of the WRC.
This impressed not only the fans, but also Malcolm Wilson. The M-Sport boss was so impressed with Loeb that he opened negotiations to have Sébastien in 4 more WRC 2022 races.
“We would like Loeb to race with us in 4 other events. That’s all I can tell you right now. We are working on all of them to date.”
“Obviously the Rally of Sweden will not be part of the races in which Loeb could take part and it is also a no for Croatia. Let’s see what we can do. One thing, however, is certain: we can’t wait to see him and Isabelle (Galmiche, the navigator) come back with us “.
Loeb: the details of a victory that still makes noise
A few weeks after the success of Monte-Carlo, Wilson revealed interesting details about the work done by Loeb during the few tests done at the wheel of the prototype car (it was a Fiesta) Rally1 and during the winning weekend in the Principality.
“What Séb did in Monte-Carlo was really impressive. When you sit back and think about everything, it’s even more beautiful. To think that he was away from the WRC for a year, he arrived in Monte-Carlo after 2 weeks of Dakar without many tests with the car and with a navigator with which he has never raced in the WRC “.
“They were close to signing him in 2005 and now I can understand and see what we missed. He is a very special driver. From the very first time he sat in the prototype car he was really comfortable and happy. have never changed. “
“You know, during the Rallye Monte-Carlo, even though the conditions changed a bit, he never made a single change to the set-up of his car. Nothing. Not even a click on the suspension. This is probably one of the most impressive things. by Loeb “.
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