This is not how Sebastien Loeb wanted to end his WRC career

Nine world titles, a careers which spanned fourteen seasons, Sebastien Loeb chose this his home race, Rally France to bid farewell to the WRC, a series he's dominated since 2004.

But it all ended on a slippy medium right when he lost the rear of his Citroen and ended upside down in a ditch.



Bruised ego apart, no serious injuries.  Rally France was won by Sebastien Loeb's heir apparent, Sebastien Ogier in the VW Polo R WRC.  
For the senior Sebastien, it's off to touring cars, again with Citroen and, I would imagine, always on stand by should Ken Block feel the need to have his ass kicked again in some Gymkana or Xgames thing.

Peak Pike

No doubt you read all about Loeb's record smashing run up Pikes Peak onboard his barking, snarling barking mad Peugeot 208 T16 monster.

What you may not have seen yet is some decent footage of the record run, thanks GoPro and Red Bull!




Be sure to take look at our friend Jamey Price's work for Road & Track this past week.   Gorgeous as usual!

Jamey Price for Road & Track

Sebastien Loeb Fastest in Pikes Peak Practice

The Peugeot 208 T16 is a monster right out of the box!

Photos: Red Bull

This past week end saw the first practice session for the Pikes Peak hill climb and, much to nobody's surprise, Sebastien Loeb set the fastest times in both upper and lower sections.     Practice at Pikes Peak is not run over the full course, climbing up to 14,111 feet above sea level, but on two separate sections, shorter than the complete run.

Loeb spent time going over the 156 turns with his regular WRC co-driver Daniel Elena but will be alone for the race.   He then proceeded to set times miles ahead of those set in the same session
by current unlimited class record holder Rhys Millen, driving a Hyundai Genesis badged car.

“I feel very confident with the car,” confirmed Sebastien Loeb. “That’s a reassuring start, if only because of the speeds we get up to here. We are already getting close to the limit in many places. All we need to do now is make some detail changes and we will be ready
for the Big Day!”

Unlimited Class Top Times
Lower section
3:29.24 Loeb
3:55.03 Millen

Top Section
3:42.10 Loeb
4:26.98 Millen

208 T18 was covered with GoPros....lucky us!

Here's Sebastien Loeb Testing For Pike's Peak

Sebastien Loeb tested the Peugeot 208 T16, now in its full Red Bull livery on the windy roads of Mont Ventoux, in the south of France, in preparation for his assault on the Pike's Peak record at the end of June.  Sick.

Take a ride with Sebastien Loeb in a Porsche 991 GT3 Cup

Nine time WRC champion and part time retiree Sebastien Loeb is the factory guest driver for the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup season opener in Barcelona this week end.

Supercup is the the top of the heap of all the national Porsche GT3 single make series and runs as support to F1 races.

This year Porsche has decked out one of the two cars it reserves for guest drives in historic Martini livery, making it instantly the coolest looking car on the grid.  The race is the debut for the 991 GT3 Cup which will be available to all teams starting with the 2014 season.

The race was won from pole by Sean Edwards from Nicki Thim  followed by Michael Ammermüller.



while these cars are very fast, it's mind-blowing to think F1 cars are a full 30 seconds per lap faster!

here you ride with Kuba Giermaziak.

7th Monte Carlo win for Loeb

Surprising probably no one, it was the semi retired Sebastien Loeb who took victory at the 81st edition of the Monte. It is Loeb's seventh win of Monegasque classic.   Behind Loeb, the next rising star, Sebastien Ogier and a great first result for the Volkswagen Polo R WRC on it's first outing.

The rally, characterized this year was by brutal weather and road conditions, was shortened on the final day because of safety concerns.
Aside from the massive crowds standing, in darwinian rally fan tradition, pretty much where they could be mowed down at any moment, a group of spanish fans had to be rescued after falling down an embankment stopping the race.



The final day saw some high profile retirements, Ford's Evgeny Novikov and Juho Hanninen and VW' Jari-Matti Latvala were all victims of the dreaded Col de Turini. Check out Latvala's brutal crash.





With his 7th win at the Monte Carlo Rally Loeb, who will only compete in 4 WRC events this year, further cements his position as arguably one of the best racing drivers of all times.
 (more videos after the jump)

Monte Carlo Rally, 11 minutes of Pure Sound

Two clips thanks to Axis friends Andrea and Master: The top is fresh from Special Stage 1 at the Monte where Sebastien Ogier debuted the VW Polo WRC.

Below is an older clip from practice. OK, first off, Loeb arrives to work in an Aventador...  Then, just look at how he rips on those tree lined roads, it's just breathtaking, no fancy editing and multiple takes needed!

2012 Rally Mexico

ERIC VARGIOLU / DPPI 

Rally Mexico 2012, call it a double sombrero trick for Sebastien Loeb who after six wins there needs to open a rally school to teach others how to fast enough to  make his week ends interesting.

The video is by the highly recommended Best of Rally.com

King of Turini: Loeb makes it six in Monte Carlo

Granted not a huge surprise at this point but the accomplishment is titanic, twice as many wins as rally heroes Makinen and Aurion and two more than Rohrl. Behind Loeb and Elena, the MINI JCW of Dani Sordo followed by the Ford Fiesta of Peter Solberg.

You can read details elsewhere, enjoy these awesome highlight clips. After the jump, more clips and onboard of Sebastien Ogier's scary crash after his mistake early in the rally.

Spectacular WRC highlights from the 2010 FIA gala.

It was yet another triumph for Sebastien Loeb but 2010 also saw the emergence of another Sebastien: Ogier as a real challanger to the king. Next year, new cars and new manufacturers join the fight. Bring it on!end of post

Sebastien Loeb joins "Club 7"

Very exclusive club that one, seven time winners of a top category in Mototsport. There's Schumacher of course, Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt in NASCAR, Valentino Rossi (if you count the one 500 cc championship) and now Sebastien Loeb.

Loeb, With Daniel Elena, clinched the 2010 title at Rally France, in his own home town, making it an incredible seven consecutive WRC crowns. The last time someone not named Loeb and driving a Citroen won a title was 2003 when Petter Solberg beat him by one point.

Has Loeb's domination killed off the WRC? I don't think so, if anything it has given the WRC a center during a period when the series has been, pardon the pun, a bit lost in the woods. The amazing thing about him is how very few mistakes he makes, his driving is so phenomenally precise without giving up any speed. Watch the Monte Carlo Clips after the jump, it's no endlessly rehearsed stunt driving, those are real cliffs just off the side.

Loeb has hinted at his retirement at the end of the 2011 season giving him the chance to join and even more exclusive club, "Club 8". That one has only one member, 8 time 500cc champion Giacomo Agostini.

SIde note: Check out the shifter, it's a single fixed paddle in a push pull arrangement, you can barely see Loeb punch it with his knuckles to downshift. More fodder for the paddles on the wheel vs paddles on the column debate.

Clips after the jump







2006 Monte Carlo Rally, note walls, cliff...


Another insane Monte stage

Sebastien Loeb will retire after the 2011 season

" If Sebastien Ogier, your Citroen team mate and the up and coming star of the WRC begins to beat you regularly, would the make you stop?

Yes, I think so, I would say it's not worth taking unnecessary risks to chase him. But it's not him who will put an end to my career, It's my decision to make and it will come at the end of the 2011 season"

Nothing left to prove it's not a surprise Sebastien Loeb, Six time WRC champion and current standings leader would all but announce his retirement in an interview to Paris Match.

Other Highlights: He used to drive an AMX-30 tank in the army and in 1998 used to earn minimum wage pulling electrical cables.

Loeb has said "Rally is instinctive, Formula 1 is hard work"

You can read the interview (in french) HERE

end of post

Raikkonen and Loeb at the 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours...

Keep an eye on the 2010 24 Hours, it has the potential of being the most interesting in years. The latest rumors are of a Red Bull sponsored Peugeot 908 Hdi driven by Kimi Raikkonen, Sebastien Loeb and perhaps David Coulthard. Certainly would attract media attention, something RedBull has show to have a certain talent for over the years...

Also in 2010, BMW will return to contest as an official factory team for the first time in years. There will be GT2 M3s but perhaps also the new GT3 class Z4 racer the bavarians have cooked up. Stay tuned for updates.
(autohebdo.fr, motorsportblog.it)






end of post

WRC season Highlights

Sebastien Loeb made it six world championships in Wales this past week end. Here is a quick HL clip from Eurosport





More WRC on Axis

2008 WRC Highlights

WRC in 2008 essentially boiled down to Sebastian Loeb once again telling everyone else they might as well just go home. Subaru and Suzuki decided to do just that leaving the series to be contested only by Citroen and Ford ahead of the coming s2000 WRC spec car.
Check the videos out after the jump!





...aaaaand the lowlight as Liquidfire3240 points out!






Back

Even the best make mistakes

Sebastien Loeb says "my bad" in Sweden...



Even the best make mistakes... from AxisOfOversteer.com on Vimeo.

Full Monte

don't miss "Full Monte part II"

Largely ignored, certainly by US television, the Monte Carlo Rally is taking place this week end.

The race is not going to be on the WRC calendar next year switching instead to the "low cost" IRC (Intercontinental Rally Challenge). IRC promises to bring "innovative coverage" and distribution, we'll see if that means more access or simply a new more expensive subscription service.

Meanwhile the WRC is in a odd moment, the series one good rivalry gone with Marcus Grönholm's retirement leaving Sebastian Loeb to predictably dominate the first event.

They are also using spec Pirelli tires which nobody seems to be especially happy with. And once again, there is not much snow on the mountain roads behind the principality.

The one bit of great news for the WRC is that Dave Richards has come back as Subaru team manager and will run the team first hand this season. That can only be good news, and if he can give Solberg a good car to fight Loeb in, the season could be as good as the last. See a clip of the Scoobie Supremo discussing the upcoming new car below.

For our very international audience, I dug up three full stage onboard clips in three languages: Mikko Hirvonen, Danni Sordo and Chris Atkinson. The first two on Stage 3, the Subaru driver on Stage 13. Atkinson almost blows it, but he ended some 7.5 secs in front of everyone.

On the final day of the Rally WRC's official site promises live coverage of the final Super Special stage, that should be quite cool, coverage is promised for 9 AM EST (1500hrs local).

Tarmac, Gravel and Ice, the FIA WRC 2007 review.

Sebastian Loeb must feel kind of lonely with Marcus Grönholm retiring.   

2007 saw the WRC season, like Formula 1, come down to the last race between the French and Finnish aces.

"Our battle for the driver's championship went down to the final round and the closeness of the competition was typified by Rally New Zealand where my fight with Sébastien Loeb ended with a margin of just 0.3 seconds after three days of flat-out driving," Grönholm said about the 2007 season. "It doesn't get any better than that. "

Indeed.

This clip was shown at the 2007 FIA gala awards.

Muddy Rally

WRC Rally Germany this week end....again no love for us WRC fans here in the US.

Couple of quick clips, in the first Sebastian Loeb discusses driving on the muddy narrow stages and offers pearls of wisdom such as "...you have to have good notes..." "..mud is slippery.." and "...you have to slow down.." OK Seb, we wanted to hear more about you left foot braking technique but, nice to hear from you.

In the second clip Marcus Gronholm tells it like it is, Seb does his usual gallic shrugging and there are some cool shots of BF Goodrich tire techs hand cutting tires...

Follow Rally Deutschland live

hhhhallelujah wot a yump!

I'm going to go on a little WRC bender here....anyone mind? As I've said before, that Rally is not shown at all in the US is a scandal...

OK, this one is all about the commentary ... OK the jump was pretty impressive as well.



Rally Finland will scare even rally drivers...I think that's saying something.
Commentary is Dutch ( I think...correct me if I'm wrong) but the driver interviews are in English. Here is Mikko Hirvonen on the Ouninpohja stage:

Ever notice the there is a certain look to some rally drivers....kind of a bug eyed quasi psychotic thing going with the eyes... Gilles Panizzi, Hirvonen, and take a look at Petter Solberg...

Could it be that look comes from driving stages the Finns quaintly line with organic, recyclable guard rails? Here is Jan Kopecky in a Skoda.

Mikko Hirvonen...




Sebastian Loeb is philosophical...




Manfred Stohl is on a roll...



and finally some hi-lites...