Loeb and Citroën reflect on 2011 WRC title

In the end it was good fortune that handed Sebastien Loeb his eighth WRC title. Loeb was forced out of Wales Rally GB following a low-impact collision with a tourist on a non-competitive stage. Thankfully, for Loeb, his closest rival, Ford driver Mikko Hirvonen, had already retired from the event.

“It’s proof that a rally isn’t over till you’re back in the parc fermé!” said Loeb of the race-ending incident. “It’s a pity because I would have liked to have finished the battle with Jari-Matti. What happened is fairly ordinary: we were on a narrow road and we came upon a car on the top of a crest where there was no visibility. The Spanish driver had the wrong reflex and pulled in to the right and we collided!”

“So far we haven’t really had time to celebrate this title as we were completely involved in the rally. Again this morning we had to get up at 4.30 am to go and tackle the stages,” added Loeb. “Now we can celebrate it at last with the whole team. All the titles are important and memorable as they’re never put together in the same way. This season, the overall level was very high and we had to fight right down till the last rally.”

Citroën is making a fair bit out of Loeb overtaking Michael Schumacher’s record of seven world championships. Loeb followed suit, saying, “I’m proud to have become the most-titled racing driver, even if one shouldn’t really try and compare the different branches of the sport. I never thought I’d achieve this when I started my career!”

More after the break, including a short video and interview with Loeb at the scene of his accident.

Bizarre end to the season fails to dampen Citroën’s double world championship celebrations

If Citroen ever needed proof that “it ain’t over until it’s over” they got it on the final day of the round of the 2011 World Rally Championship, when, having already secured the Manufacturers’ crown in Spain and the Drivers’ world * title on the first day of the British round when Sebastien’s Loeb’s only rival crashed out, the newly crowned eight time World Rally Champion was fighting for the lead on the final day of the rally when a Spanish tourist rammed his rally car off the road on a non-competitive road section!

“Its proof that a rally isn’t over till you’re back in the parc fermé!” said Loeb as they extracted his Citroen DS3 rally car from the tourist’s rental car instead of fighting for the top step on the podium with Ford’s Jari-Matti Latvala. “It’s a pity because I would have liked to have finished the battle with Jari-Matti. What happened is fairly ordinary: we were on a narrow road and we came upon a car on the top of a crest where there was no visibility. The Spanish driver had the wrong reflex and pulled in to the right and we collided!”

Latvala had stepped into battle with Loeb after his team mate and the only person who could deprive Loeb of his eighth world title, retired on stage seven after leaving the road and fatally damaging his Ford Fiesta. The event then turned into a two handed battle, with Loeb and Latvala swapping the lead so that on the final day the scene was set for a thrilling finish, until Welsh tourism settled the final finishing order.

After recovering the car, the technical team did everything necessary to make it presentable for the podium opposite Cardiff castle. “We won’t let this incident spoil the party,” said Frédéric Banzet, the Citroën General Manager.

“Sébastien, Daniel and Citroën Racing have achieved a remarkable season. Ten victories in thirteen rallies, the manufacturers’ and drivers’ titles, new records set: the whole team has more than fulfilled the expectations of the make. From Sweden to Great Britain, the WRC has helped us to showcase our Créative Technologie on four continents. These victories and these titles have helped embed rallying a little deeper in Citroën’s genes!”

“So far we haven’t really had time to celebrate this title as we were completely involved in the rally. Again this morning we had to get up at 4.30 am to go and tackle the stages,” added Loeb. “Now we can celebrate it at last with the whole team. All the titles are important and memorable as they’re never put together in the same way. This season, the overall level was very high and we had to fight right down till the last rally. I’m proud to have become the most-titled racing driver, even if one shouldn’t really try and compare the different branches of the sport. I never thought I’d achieve this when I started my career!”

While the Citroën Racing mechanics were busy putting the no. 1 DS3 WRC back into shape, no. 2 continued racing in the Welsh forests. Sébastien Ogier set three fastest times on the last day and finished the event in 11th place: ”Going through each stage twice has helped us to understand the difficulties of this rally a bit better. It’ll be useful to us next time we race here. We’re trying to go quick enough to validate our notes and enjoy ourselves at the same time. I’d like to congratulate Sébastien and Daniel on their titles. Once again, they’ve proved they’re simply the best and that really deserves respect.”

With Sébastien Loeb’s eighth world title, Michael Schumacher no longer has more motorsport world titles than any other driver and Loeb has not only won eight World titles* to Schumacher’s seven titles, the Citroen driver’s titles are all consecutive and Loeb’s name and that of the Citroen rally cars he has piloted sit alongside just about ever record in the World Rally Championship.

In the penultimate round of the World Rally Championship, Loeb secured one of the last records he does not already hold, with his 802nd fastest stage time beating the record set by Markku Alen. This joins the catalogue of other records Loeb holds, as well as eight world titles, including the record for the most WRC wins, with 67 top step podiums, 103 podium finishes from 150 rallies, giving him the record for the most podium finishes, while a total 1281 points gives him the most career WRC points. Loeb’s win ratio of 44.3% is also another record. Other records carrying the names of Loeb and Citroen include the most wins in one season (2008, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2010) while when it comes to the most consecutive wins, Loeb holds the top four places, with six consecutive wins in 2005 and 2006 and five consecutive wins in 2006 and 2008.

He also has lead the most 1-2 wins and the most 1-2-3 wins in a season, as well as the most tarmac wins and the most consecutive tarmac wins. He has won the Rally of Germany eight times, a record for winning one event, while his six wins in Argentina and Spain, and five wins in Mexico and on the Monte Carlo are records for those events, and his 23 wins in different events is yet another record. And, as through this record breaking career, Loeb’s co driver Daniel Elena has been his side, Elena shares these records and they are the most successful crew of all time.

All of these records have been achieved behind the wheel of a Citroen, starting with the Citroen Xsara, which won the manufacturers’ title in 2003, 2004 and 2005, followed by the Citroen C4 WRC in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. This year Loeb is continuing his winning ways behind the wheel of the Citroen DS3 WRC. This means that Citroen holds the record for the most manufacturer wins – 79 wins – the longest run of wins with eight this year for the DS3 WRC, the longest run of podium finishes – 38 from 2008 to 2010 and 25 from 2005 to 2006 – and the largest number of 1-2-3 wins in one season, as well as the most wins in one season in 2005 and 2008 with 11 wins.