Loeb Thinks Title will have to Wait
Sebastien Loeb believes he won't secure his second consecutive WRC crown at this weekend's Wales Rally GB because his rivals will score the results they need to take the fight to next month's Rally Japan
Loeb is currently 32 points ahead of Peugeot's Marcus Gronholm and 38 points up on Petter Solberg, and with four rounds remaining requires a 40-point lead when he leaves Wales to be assured of this year's title.
That means that if Gronholm finishes higher than seventh, or Solberg finishes second or higher, Loeb cannot win the title this weekend even if he wins his first Rally GB on Sunday.
However, Loeb has vowed to attack the event even if that means he has an increased chance of crashing and damaging his Citroen Xsara and points lead.
"It will be difficult," Loeb said. "I think Marcus will be able to do better than seventh and for me to win here will also be very difficult. Petter will fight and Marcus will fight also.
"For me it doesn't matter, I will just concentrate on my rally and after that we will see what happens. I will try not to think about the championship and take risks like I do on every rally.
"I will try and go fast at the start of the event and if I can fight for the victory I will try and do it. If I cannot perhaps it is better to think about the championship and not take extra risks to try and win and not to lose everything.
"Marcus found better feeling in the car compared with the last few rallies and Francois Duval had a good result last time."
Loeb finished sixth in this morning's wet shakedown session at Filindre, more than three seconds off session-topper Solberg.
"This morning's Shakedown had very difficult conditions," he added. "We expected to have dry conditions but it rained so much. The road will be wet until Saturday and after that we will see."
Why WRC's Safari tour is more than just a rally
OPINION: A source of national pride in Kenya, the Safari Rally is also a sporting, cultural and economic phenomenon. And as last weekend's World Rally Championship round reminded us, it's a key driver in establishing Africa’s place in world motorsport
How Rovanpera tamed a wild Safari Rally
The Safari Rally acted as a brutal test of driver and car resolve as multiple retirements opened the path for a historic Toyota 1-2-3-4 triumph, headed by star Kalle Rovanpera. But keeping things clean was only half of the challenge, as a well-timed charge when conditions worsened allowed the Finn to take control
How Tanak turned the tables to deliver Hyundai a timely WRC triumph
The 2019 champion has been a bit-part player recently, but Ott Tanak ended a 15-month drought in fine style with a dominant win in Sardinia. On a weekend when championship leader Kalle Rovanpera struggled with cleaning the road, his Hyundai rival has made his belated arrival into the title race and given cause for those predicting a walkover from the Toyota star to pause
How Rovanpera overcame rallying royalty in Portugal to extend his WRC lead
Although the Rally Portugal entry list featured World Rally Championship royalty in Sebastiens Loeb and Ogier, victory was secured by rallying's rising star in Kalle Rovanpera. Here's the story of his 2022 hat-trick, as his key rivals faltered among the gravel and asphalt ahead of them
The former WRC star playing the unsung hero role for Rovanpera
Kalle Rovanpera’s 2022 World Rally Championship displays have been spectacular, with the Toyota driver benefitting from a secret weapon in his crew to win two of the opening three rallies. But while the former challenger to Sebastien Loeb won’t take credit for his fellow Finn's performances, a key bond has been formed which could prove key to Rovanpera’s title charge
How Rovanpera's Croatia turnaround sent a message to his WRC rivals
After a dominating Rally Croatia, a wrong tyre choice on the final day looked to have undone all Kalle Rovanpera's hard work and left him with a mountain to climb heading into the power stage. That he emerged the winner all the same has surely quelled any lingering doubts that the Finn is the man to beat in the 2022 WRC
How M-Sport's faith in Loubet led to a WRC reprieve after a dismal 2021
It's fair to say 2021 was a year to forget for Pierre-Louis Loubet. A maiden full World Rally Championship season offered hope but soon turned into a nightmare that ended in hospital, after being hit by a car in a road traffic accident. Now handed a lifeline by M-Sport, the Frenchman is desperate to rebuild his career
Why WRC mechanics deserve more respect
The drivers get the glare of attention, but it’s the mechanics who are key to the operation of any World Rally Championship car. Autosport donned a set of overalls and joined M-Sport on a Belgian national rally event to get an inside look into the trials and tribulations of a rally mechanic