WRC Rally Mexico: Loeb 10th on shakedown, team-mate Meeke fastest
Sebastien Loeb made a low-key World Rally Championship return with the 10th fastest time on Rally Mexico's shakedown stage on Thursday, as Citroen team-mate Kris Meeke set the pace
Loeb, who will contest his first gravel WRC event for five years this weekend, admitted his firs timed run in Citroen's C3 had not been straightforward.
"It was complicated, not easy," Loeb told Autosport, "But OK, the feeling is coming back slowly.
"I still have no idea what to expect from this rally.
"I need to find the rhythm. I have lost a lot of experience over the years."
The Frenchman was 2.6 seconds down on shakedown pacesetter Meeke, who won the event last year.
Meeke claimed victory on the Leon-based event 12 months ago in dramatic fashion, surviving a trip into a car park on the final stage.
The Northern Irishman has targeted back-to-back wins in Mexico.
"Shakedown went well," Meeke told Autosport. "We had no problems.
"It's good to be back here and on an event which went well for us last year.
"I won from 10th on the road last time out, so why not target the same result this time?
"I've arrived here eighth in the championship, but just six points off third - I would definitely take being eighth [on the road] over being third in on this event."
Meeke was 0.4s faster than Hyundai's Thierry Neuville across the 3.3-mile shakedown stage in Llano Grande.
The top two were comfortably clear of the rest, with Sebastien Ogier and Ott Tanak joint third, 1.8s off Meeke's pace.
Previous article
Citroen to get WRC upgrades in time for Tour of Corsica
Next article
WRC Rally Mexico: Neuville takes early lead, Loeb in 10th
About this article
| Series | WRC |
| Drivers | Sébastien Loeb , Kris Meeke |
| Author | David Evans |
Why the casualty of rallying's evolution should still be cherished
The WRC's support categories are in a process of streamlining that will spell the end of a formalised 2WD world championship-level category. While its relevance to the top level has been questioned for some time, that doesn't mean it should be swept quietly under the carpet
Why WRC's hybrid path could leave it at a crossroads
With all three major manufacturers committing to the World Rally Championship’s hybrid era from 2022, the future of the series is assured for now, but it could lead to trickier twists and turns further down the road
How Tanak froze out the competition at the Arctic Rally
Ott Tanak made up for a disastrous Monte Carlo Rally by leading all the way on the snow-kissed stages of the Arctic Rally Finland and in the process hit back at an event Toyota had been expected to dominate
What to expect from the WRC's venture to the Arctic
This week's Arctic Rally Finland will bring the World Rally Championship into new territory. And, almost without exception, the service park can't wait for the subzero challenge to commence
How Ogier achieved a fitting Monte Carlo farewell
Against pandemic-shaped odds, the World Rally Championship season opener went ahead in Monte Carlo last weekend as a familiar face again took top spot. But for an emotional Sebastien Ogier, his record-breaking eighth win meant more than most
What to look out for in the 2021 WRC
As the 2021 World Rally Championship prepares to launch amid tight COVID-19 restrictions in Monte Carlo, here are the eight things unrelated to the pandemic that you should keep an eye on this year
Evans on the talking points of WRC 2021
He came close to the title last year, and now Toyota's Elfyn Evans gives his verdict on what to expect from 2021 as the World Rally Championship prepares to reconvene for the Monte Carlo season opener
Why Britain's continued WRC absence is a wake-up call
OPINION: With Rally GB dropping off the World Rally Championship calendar for the second year in a row, one of Britain's best-attended sporting events faces an uncertain future. It's an unfortunate situation that points to troubling times ahead
