50 years old and an extraordinary career: happy birthday, Sébastien Loeb!

This article comes from Collector AUTOhebdo dedicated to the career of nine-time world rally champion Sébastien Loeb, available on our online store.

Integrated into the official Citroën team, Sébastien Loeb takes everything in its path. He increased his number of victories, won on all surfaces and won two consecutive World titles.

The fight was long and tough, but Guy Fréquelin finally convinced his management. Citroën Sport will do well in WRC, but without a total green light. For 2002, the team is authorized to compete in some of the fourteen rallies included in the calendar. It all starts at Monte-Carlo. Although Sébastien has some experience there, he has never faced the opening round with a WRC. Everything about the course of this 70th edition will be out of the ordinary. For his first race in an official program, the Alsatian broke his engine during the shakedown. Nothing dramatic since the team installed another one from a lower generation. Good pick ! On the route to the special stages around Gap, it was the turn of the engines of Thomas Rådström and Philippe Bugalski to refuse any service.

Loeb therefore finds himself alone defending the chances of the double chevron while the rally has not yet started. Affected by these events, he produced an average start. “ I suddenly felt the weight of being the only Citroën representative on my shoulders.. » After two special stages, he is 4th, 17”5 behind the leader. He picks up again in Sisteron at the end of which he leads. During the descent to Monaco, a night section with an icy section allowed him to increase his lead. Intelligently managing the traps, Seb ensures when he