Can Sébastien Loeb win the Dakar?

Facts : A few weeks before diving back into WRC in Monte-Carlo, Sébastien Loeb is trying to add the Dakar to its rich record. The Alsatian, entered by Prodrive on a Thunder T1+ 4×4, scored a special victory during the second stage and is the only one to threaten Nasser Al-Attiyah in the general classification (+9'16").

YES, by Medhi Casaurang-Vergez

Since his first visit to a desert, in 2016, almost every winter, it's been the same refrain: will Sébastien Loeb do it? The nine-time world rally champion immediately proved his skills by winning several special stages with Peugeot in South America, but it was in 2017 that he almost beat Stéphane Peterhansel. “Monsieur Dakar” had drawn on his strengths to maintain a 5-minute lead upon arrival in Buenos Aires.

Since then, Sébastien Loeb has changed co-driver, team, car and continent. Saudi Arabia offers a real navigation challenge among the dunes and the Frenchman seems to have found his rhythm this year. As proof, his victory in the second stage impressed Mathieu Baumel, who knows about navigation. “He won a special stage with very technical dunes. Seb drove very, very well, it was absolutely not a WRC type special like those that existed in South America. »

In addition, the 32-inch tires, which punctured in all directions as they were unable to keep up with the rider's demands, were replaced by 37-inch tires. Enough to allow him to hold back less before the rocky difficulties. Finally, he has the status of undisputed leader in his team, because Nani Roma and Orlando Terranova are rejected by more than an hour overall.

In the Saudi desert, Sébastien Loeb won his 15th special stage on the Dakar. ©DPPI/F. Gooden

NO, by Fabien Gérard

I know what you are going to tell me. That this is Loeb's sixth participation in the Dakar, that this is the year or never to realize all the efforts made by the Alsatian to conquer this new holy grail. The team is ready and Seb knows the pitfalls of the event. Everything seems to be aligned for victory.

But there are several factors that make me think 2022 won't be the year Loeb brings the Touareg-helmed trophy home. First, there is the preparation of the Prodrive/Bahrain raid Xtreme team. Unlike their opponents Toyota/Overdrive, David Richard's men did not compete in a significant race and by definition never pushed the Hunter to his limits. The Hunter in T1+ configuration was driven, but mainly in private tests. The car is new and it is common knowledge that the Dakar can be a “car wrecker”. Seb has proven that he knows how to lead his boat, but nothing protects him from a possible problem.pine mechanical. 

Another factor is the record of the native of Haguenau on the Dakar. Of course he has already scored two podiums in 2017 and 2019, but he has also retired twice. These two abandonments are notably due to the lack of experience that we know PRI-MOR-DIAL has on the Dakar. Seb is also associated with a new co-driver, Fabian Lurquin. A man of experience but can he replace the 30 years of complicity established by Seb and Danos? Above all, the real obstacles for Sébastien Loeb on this Dakar 2022 have three names: Al Attiyah, Baumel and Toyota. The two men have accumulated the kilometers in races since the summer (winner of the rally of Andalusia, Morocco, the Abu Dhabi desert challenge and La Baja Ha'il). They also won a new Rally-Raid World Cup. They seem armed as ever to seek a fourth final victory on the Dakar. 

What you must remember ? Loeb must face an ogre of a discipline that he is still discovering. I am convinced that the two men will give us a festival throughout the rally. But Loeb will still have to wait. He will console himself with some great special stage victories (he has already increased his tally to 15 this year). But in 2022, I put my ticket on Nasser! 

ALSO READ > Loeb equals Saby and Schlesser, Al-Attiyah in ambush