Loeb became the oldest winner of the World Championships at 47 years old

France’s Sebastien Loeb (M-Sport Ford) has won the 80th Rally since 2002, and after that eighth success in Monte Carlo became the oldest driver to win the World Championship (WRC), at the age of 48.

Even if it means traveling back in time, you can also do it in style: a luxury Freelancer since half its retirement and its ninth title in 2012, Loeb equals the record eight wins in the Principality held by Sebastien Ogier (Toyota), second to ten , 5 seconds after a puncture on Sunday when he was driving comfortably.

He doesn’t really want to hear about age, but Loeb is giving himself another record. At 47 years, 10 months and 28 days this Sunday, he overtook Sweden’s Bjorn Waldegaard, who triumphed in the 1990 safari rally in Kenya at the age of 46 years and five months, in the experience structure.

“Of course I’m very happy, I wasn’t expecting a good come here, it was a great fight, Ogier was really fast,” replied Loeb, throwing himself into his comrade’s arms and before taking the podium for Marseille.

Loeb, a driver of record age, has not won since 2018 in Catalonia. Twenty years now separate him from his first Class 1 win in 2002 (Germany) and his last, his 80th win at his 181st start. As for the Monaco Championship, he won it in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2022.

First winner since 1997

In a nod to history, the Alsatians won their first WRC rally with hybrid technology. With an electric motor in addition to the internal combustion engine, pilots occasionally benefited from the surplus power.

The veteran, who didn’t race last year, was in his first rally with Team M-Sport.

He made use of the well-bred new Puma to get the best out of this new technology, despite having fewer testing days compared to other drivers and after taking second place at Dakar in Saudi Arabia (1-14 January).

Loeb is back with a new driver, Isabelle Galmish, a beginner at the highest level. She is the first female co-driver to win the World Rally Championship since Fabrizia Pons in 1997.

However, this ’90s Monte Carlo score is harsh on Ogier. The eight-time world champion since 2021 was comfortably ahead (24.6sec) when he had a punctured front left tire on the penultimate stage, losing 34.1sec.

In the last private match between Briançonnet and Entrevaux (Alpes-Maritimes), wanting to catch up, he took a ten-second penalty for a false start. it’s over.

“Keep my head up, I got the job done this weekend, unfortunately these things happened in a crowd,” he replied, visibly disgusted.

A paradoxical situation in the World Rally Championship, neither Loeb (nine-time champion between 2004 and 2012) nor Ogier (eight times between 2013 and 2021) will achieve a full season, and therefore will not be contending for the title in 2022. However they are the team that leads the championship After this first round.

In the back, Ireland’s Craig Breen (M-Sport Ford) came third in the rally, followed by Finland’s Kali Rovanpera (Toyota) and Britain’s Gus Greensmith (M-Sport Ford). Hyundai’s only survivor, who had great difficulty in the early days of the hybrid era, Belgian Thierry Nouvel is the sixth.

Rovanpera, winner of the final strength stage, finished third in the tournament thanks to five extra points.

Ogier or Loeb is not expected to be in Sweden from February 24-27 for the next round. Without them, other suitors would be able to breathe and hope to win.