MOTORSPORT: Giant upset at Monte Carlo Rally
Loeb rewrites record book with Ford as World Rally Championship enters hybrid eraGrizzled veteran Sebastien Loeb rewrote the record books yesterday with a stunning victory on the Monte Carlo Rally after one of the longest droughts in World Rally Championship history, returning Ford to the winner’s circle in the process.
The 47-year-old Frenchman might be the WRC GOAT – Greatest Of All Time – but it had been 10 years since his previous win, in his final full-time WRC season with Citroen, as he became the oldest driver to claim a WRC victory.
In another first, his co-driver Isabelle Galmiche – a 50-year-old school teacher – won on her WRC debut.
Loeb has had guest drives since 2012 but never looked like the man who scored eight world titles before switching his focus to everything from GT and TCR racing to rallycross and the Dakar Rally.
Just weeks before the Monte he had finished second in the Dakar deserts of Saudi Arabia.
This time he led the Monte from the start and fought a torrid battle with reigning world champion Sebastian Ogier, who is running a part-time program with Toyota, which was only decided on the final day when Ogier suffered a puncture two stages from the finish.
The pair were close to two minutes ahead of the third-placed driver, Craig Breen, who was starting his time as the team leader at Ford in the new hybrid Puma racer.
“When I came here I didn't really know what to expect. I was just hoping I would be in a good rhythm and able to fight with the guys in the front. In the end it was more than we expected… and to finally win the rally at the end like this is just amazing,” said Loeb.
The two Sebs now each have eight wins in the Monte, but apart from the fight for first the rally was the first event for a new generation of hybrid Rally1 cars.
Based on results and stage times, the Ford Puma appears to have a narrow edge over the latest Toyota GR Yaris Hybrid, with Hyundai trailing well behind thanks to an i20 N Rally1 that was too slow and also suffered a range of technical problems.
The best of the Hyundai squad was Thierry Neuville, who was only sixth and nearly seven minutes behind the winner.
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