World RX – Hockenheim, new challenge for Loeb

After taking fifth place in the World RX final in Montalegre (Portugal), Sébastien Loeb will get back behind the wheel of his Peugeot 208 WRX for the German round held on May 7 and 8 at Hockenheim at the same time as the opening of the season DTM.

“Hockenheim is a legendary circuit. I find it nice to be able to evolve at the same time as the DTM. It promises a great atmosphere for spectators. The more we can perform in front of a large audience, the better. Hockenheim is not very far from Alsace, so there should be a lot of friends and fans who will make the trip”, commented the nine-time champion of WRC.

“I’m looking forward to this second round of the season. The first race in Portugal was quite nice but the circuit is quite atypical, so this race will give me the opportunity to calibrate myself on another configuration. I am confident that I will be able to better optimize the car in Germany”, underlined the Alsatian.

His teammate Timmy Hansen will arrive with confidence after winning the podium in 2015 in this event. “I know the Hockenheim site well having won in car. It's a historic place and racing in front of such packed stands is a truly special experience. The circuit of rallycross however, offers a very different profile with a dirt section which requires a fairly aggressive approach. This is a specific challenge that must be approached with an open mind. For our part, drivers, engineers and mechanics, we are determined to return to Hockenheim with the level of performance that allowed us to win the world team title last year.", declared the Swede.

« The outcome of the Portuguese race was rather mixed,” recognized Kenneth Hansen, the Team Principal of the team of the same name. “We therefore took the time to analyze our race and we are determined to learn lessons from it for Hockenheim. With the Peugeot 208 WRX, we have a truly excellent foundation. We just need to bring all the parameters together at the right time. »

“In the event of rain, like in Portugal, we will be more prepared to face these conditions. We hope that the preparation of the track this year will make it possible to use the planned route”, specified the Scandinavian.