Loeb: “A risk that the purists will desert the stands”

Sébastien Loeb (Peugeot ) had a difficult weekend in front of his audience in Lohéac (Ille-et-Vilaine). Arriving laboriously in the final, the bearer of number 9 (like the number of titles in WRC) in the World Championship rallycross (World RX) finished sixth and last.

Classification #WorldRX after #LohéacRX
Drivers
1. Kristoffersson 224 pts
2. Bakkerud 165
3. Solberg 160
4 @Timmy_Hansen 158
5. Ekstrom 157
6 @SebastienLoeb 151
8 @kevinhansen71 86
teams
1. PSRX Volkswagen Sweden 384 pts
2. EKS Audi Sport 322
3 #TeamPeugeotTotal 309 pic.twitter.com/FlxZ83a7OP

— Peugeot Sport (@peugeotsport) September 2, 2018

This mixed result (“sometimes I felt like I was better at signing autographs”, he admitted) did not prevent him from confiding in CARhebdo on the evolution of his Peugeot 208 WRX as well as the future of rallycross.

The electric series, supposed to come into operation in 2020, was postponed for an additional year. Which leaves the sixth in the general ranking doubtful about its popular success. “Rallycross is the discipline best suited for this, the races are short and the cars will improve in performance. The show will certainly remain nice, but I don't know if the public will be won over, explains the Alsatian.

We stay a generation that loves engines and the question is whether the one that follows will be seduced by electric. It will undoubtedly be necessary to do some animation work around the race, whether for example with music or artificial noise., continues the former WTCC driver with Citroën.

Sébastien Loeb therefore expects the public present at rallycross rounds to evolve. “It will clearly change things if we have five cars setting off at the green light in cathedral silence. I recognize that there is a risk that the purists will desert the stands. »

Find the entire interview with Sébastien Loeb and the analysis of the Rallycross in Lohéac in issue 2181 of AUTOhebdo, on sale in digital version and on newsstands.