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The soon-to-be 48-year-old Frenchman won the “Monte-Carlo” ahead of Sébastien Ogier this Sunday.
Sébastien Loeb and his M-Sport Ford were the best on the Rallye Monte-Carlo.
AFP
Frenchman Sébastien Loeb (M-Sport Ford), who turns 48 on February 26, became the oldest driver to win in the world championship (WRC) following his victory in Rallye Monte-Carlo ahead of Sébastien Ogier (Toyota) this Sunday.
With his new co-driver Isabelle Galmiche, the nine-time world champion (2004-2012) offered himself an 80th victory in the WRC and an 8th Monte-Carlo. He equals the success record in the Principality held by his compatriot Ogier, unfortunate second at 10.5 seconds following a puncture in the penultimate special and a penalty in the last.
The record of Swede Björn Waldegard, victorious in 1990 in the Safari Rally in Kenya at the age of 46 years and five months, is therefore erased by the Alsatian of 47 years, ten months and 28 days this Sunday.
“Of course I am very happy, I did not expect so good coming here, it was a superb battle, Ogier was really fast”, reacted Loeb, following throwing himself into the arms of his companion and before getting on the podium for the Marseillaise.
Driver with record longevity, twenty years now separate his first victory in the premier class in 2002 (Germany) and his last, the 80th for his 181st start. As for the Monegasque event, he won it in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2022.
The Alsatian therefore won the first WRC rally with hybrid technology. With an electric motor in addition to the internal combustion engine, the pilots occasionally benefited from a power surplus.
Cruel outcome for Ogier
Back in the WRC for at least this Rally, the veteran had not raced in the discipline last year. For his first rally with the M-Sport team, he benefited from a new Puma very well born to make the most of this new technology, despite fewer days of testing than the other drivers and following finishing 2nd in the Dakar. in Saudi Arabia (January 1-14).
Loeb returned with a new co-driver, Isabelle Galmiche, a beginner at the highest level. She is the first female co-driver to win in the WRC since Fabrizia Pons in 1997.
The outcome of this 90th Monte-Carlo is however cruel for Ogier. The eight-time world champion since 2021 was comfortably in the lead (24.6 seconds) when he suffered a front-left tire puncture on the penultimate stage, losing 34.1 seconds.
In the last special between Briançonnet and Entrevaux (Alpes-Maritimes), wanting to catch up, he took a ten-second penalty for a false start. It was over.
Craig Breen (M-Sport Ford) is 3rd, more than 1 minute 30 behind.
(AFP)