Daniel Elena: “I don’t want to stay in second place in the Dakar”

After a trip to the WTCC for Sébastien Loeb, the arrival of the Alsatian in rally-raid with Peugeot Sport and a return to WRC with Citroën then Hyundai always alongside daniel helena allowed us to see the legendary rally duo of the years 2000-2010 in action again.

If today, the Loeb – Elena tandem is content with a partial program in the World Rally Championship, with six events on the program, Daniel Elena bluntly admits that a new commitment to the Dakar, now contested in Saudi Arabia, would not displease him.

“In 2021, with him (Sébastien Loeb), you never know what he wants, the Monegasque tells us in our last phone call to a friend. I have already whispered to him that there is a race to be won which has eluded us for five minutes. We should go see what's going on. I don't want to stay in second place (in 2017).

Like I said, I'll go wherever Seb wants us to go. If he wants to continue in the WRC. If he doesn't want to, why not put together a rally-raid program and try to beat the Dakar. I know deep down he's frustrated, and he wants to win it.

The regulations will change. Last year, we were a private crew, with a small structure, and we had a good result. I know that if he says he wants to go back to the Dakar, manufacturers will come and get him. To be continued. »