Nine-time world rally champion Sebastien Loeb has told Autosport he has no intention of returning to the WRC this year.
If Sébastien Ogier is competing in the 2023 season of the World Rally Championship half-time (he has however won in Monte-Carlo, Mexico and Kenya), this is not the case for his compatriot and also multiple champion. of the world Sébastien Loeb. While he took part in four rallies last year (victory in Monte-Carlo, retirement in Portugal and Greece after being in the lead, eighth in Kenya) at the wheel of the Ford Puma of the M-Sport team , the Alsatian has not signed a contract for 2023, despite a proposal from the British team. And there should be no change between now and the end of the season, when there are six rallies left on the calendar.
“There are no plans for a return to the WRC at the moment.Sébastien Loeb toldAutosport. For the moment, my plan was to race in Extreme E (electric off-road racing, editor’s note). I had this proposal and Cupra (German team whose colors also wear the Dakar winner Nasser Al-Attiyah, editor’s note) asked me if I would be happy to take a ride and I said yes. This is where we are at the moment and there is no plan for the future. Sébastien Loeb finished fourth then sixth in the two Extreme E races that took place in Sardinia. He will now resume his rallycross season with the Special One Racing team, where he drives a Lancia. After finishing sixth, fifth and eighth in the first three rounds of the season, he still has to contest the British and Belgian rounds at the end of July and beginning of August.
M-Sport shouldn’t need Loeb
At the end of March, M-Sport team boss Richard Millener said he would sign a third driver for the end of the WRC season only if he needed to take points from prominent opponents. of a possible title of world champion to seek. However, Ott Tänak and Pierre-Louis Loubet, the two titular drivers, respectively occupy fourth and ninth place in the championship, 42 and 120 points behind leader Kalle Rovanperä. Unless the situation turns around, the Estonian will not be in the title race this season. Unless he starts a comeback by winning his national rally next week?
