Loeb's biggest decision looms ahead

Dear Sebastien,

So, decision time: will you stay or will you go? In case you're still undecided, you must stay.

There are plenty out there who would prefer it if you departed now, not least a couple of Ford drivers who would immediately be looking at improving their own statistics with a stack more rally - and possibly championship - wins.

But what's the point of taking those titles when everybody knows you are still at the height of your power?

Loeb is still the class of the field, as his Finland win proved © sutton-images.com

So, you're now convinced of the merits of another 13-rally tour next season. Good.

Now the next decision we have to make is what colour overalls to wear.

What do you think? Those red ones you've had for a while are starting to look a little faded, how about some blue - of the Volkswagen shade?

To me, the offer you have from Hannover represents a great opportunity.

Understandably, you're feeling the effects of a decade on the road in the WRC, so take a season away. Spend the year with your family, while helping to develop the Polo R WRC.

You want to keep your competitive edge? Okay, last time I looked the VW Group had a pretty solid endurance programme with Audi...

You love Le Mans, really?

I'm sure an R18 seat at la Sarthe can be found.

And then, in 2013, you're back and ready to win again. One thing is certain: VW's first World Rally Car will not be coming out of the box slowly. So, get in it and drive.

Or, you could stay where you are. Stay at Citroen. Another season of the same.

You know the place, the people and the potential. There's a lot to be said for that.

While in Finland, I gauged the opinion of a few of those who have starred in our world in years gone by - and the overwhelming feeling is that you should get out.

The feeling of the men who have flown down the same roads and risked everything in the same way that you do is that you do it with a team united behind you.

Do you have that? I didn't think so.

As one star put it: "It's shocking how Loeb has been treated by Citroen. After everything he has done for them.

"It's incredible how quickly they have forgotten what he did and what he continues to do.

Ogier's emergence has complicated the set-up at Citroen © sutton-images.com

"If I was him, I'd be out of there and getting myself ready to come back and beat them."

One thing seems certain, Sebastien: things have changed for good at Citroen. The years when you were the undisputed number-one driver have long gone.

Those wonderful days when that smiley Spaniard - Dani Sordo - would, without hesitation, fall into line are no more.

Now there's another Frenchman - Sebastien Ogier - sitting next to you in team meetings and he has no intention of doing anything other than beating you. Second place means nothing to him.

But you can still beat him. Yes, he's getting quicker, but he's still not quick enough.

You had me worried around this time last year - Ogier beat you on four consecutive gravel rallies and I thought the game might be up.

But then, with the championship sorted, you reverted to your default - rather than title-winning speed.

Ogier didn't stand a chance as you made a monkey out of everybody in France, Spain and Wales.

And this year, it seems you're a victim of your own success. Your ability to keep on winning rallies leaves you at the top of the table and first on the road, sweeping the stones aside for those who follow.

Stop getting hung up on this. You're better than this.

Granted, on some rallies - such as Greece - circumstance is going to beat you and leave you following the one man you absolutely don't want to follow into the podium celebrations.

But so be it. You really can't win them all.

Equally, let's not get personal with Ogier here. He's a damned fine driver; he's a future world champion.

The current environment you find yourself in at Citroen is not his fault. He's doing what every young, determined driver would be doing in his position.

Except he seems to be doing it with slightly less humility than you managed in your younger days.

VW is entering the WRC and has a superb-looking Polo R to compete with

The problem at Citroen is as old as motorsport itself. There's nothing new about in-house rivalries, but there are different ways of managing the situation.

Ask - as I'm sure you may already have done - Malcolm Wilson about how he managed warring Carlos Sainz and Colin McRae. David Richards would probably be able to offer some insight into this topic as well.

The key here is that Wilson and Richards are rally men of old, and years of experience has equipped them to deal with the kind of scenarios being debated in Versailles.

Your boss, Olivier Quesnel, remains reasonably new to the job.

Quesnel provides a good defence. What can he do? Ogier's contract - the one which kept him in a Citroen this year - states he's allowed to fight until the fight is finished.

Am I being obtuse here? Possibly. Is it fair to say that your 31-point lead over Ogier is enough to secure you his support? Probably.

Let's imagine, just for a moment, that you do go. What would that mean for the wider world championship?

Well, out of nowhere, there would be a plum seat free for next year. Or would there?

Let's not forget that, just as Ford's current two-year commitment to the WRC is up at the end of this year, so is Citroen's.

There have been noises made about Ford's reticence in coming out and confirming an extension to that programme, but Citroen has remained - officially - just as quiet.

Yes, Quesnel has talked of the firm being in rallying for a long time, but, as yet, we haven't seen the colour of its money beyond Rally GB this year.

If you go, will Citroen follow?

Maybe.

Thirteen cups in seven years (which is looking all the world like becoming 15 in eight in a couple of months) is probably enough silverware for anyone to keep clean.

If Citroen does stay without you, who's going to be sitting in your seat?

Audi is part of the VW group and could have a Le Mans seat for Loeb © LAT

The favoured Ford driver is Jari-Matti Latvala, but he's under lock and key at Malcolm's place for another year.

What about Mikko Hirvonen? Possibly, as he's out of contract. But Citroen management hasn't been massively impressed with him in the last two years.

Petter Solberg? I suggested this to Quesnel in Finland and he refused to comment, but there was a wry smile on his face.

Can you read his wry smiles? What do you think?

Solberg would be the perfect man for the job. He knows the car and some of the team.

But would he do it? Solberg's no Sordo and I suspect it would be the number-two role to Ogier that he'd be expected to play.

Equally, do we think Solberg's going to VW? All the speculation says his deal is done with Germany, but what does that mean for you?

I can't see you happily sharing a team with Solberg - the two of you are quite different in your approach to everything.

There are plenty of drivers ready to come back. Chris Atkinson and Per-Gunnar Andersson are the two main players.

Both of these guys deserve another chance - both could win rounds of the world championship.

And Marcus Gronholm? Wouldn't it be great to have him back? It would be a cameo, if at all - but it would be great for you to be reunited with a gladiator with whom you battled so hard.

And had so much respect.

For now, who knows?

Sebastien, you know. Put us out of our misery. Win Le Mans next year and another world championship the year after.

The sport's a better place with a true champion in place.

Yours sincerely,

AUTOSPORT