Loeb – Röhrl, mutual respect

Walter Röhrl, in the article devoted by AUTOhebdo this week to the thirty years of the Audi quattro, speaks at length about his career, and in particular during his Audi years. The double World Rally Champion also expresses his sympathy for Sébastien Loeb, a pilot of his caliber and whose style he appreciates. The German driver believes that the six-time World Champion is part of his “lineage”. “ The style that Sébastien Loeb applies today is mine: clean, soft, very concentrated and without ever stopping to ask himself “What is the quickest way to do it”. Thirty years ago, I analyzed while others based everything on improvisation. »

Walter Röhrl also confides that Sébastien Loeb's driving style is without frills, allowing him to adapt to all terrains. “ It's like I hear a pilot be, he tells AUTOhebdo. He does the job the way it should be done. That is to say perfectly. The others, nearby, appear pale. Especially on asphalt, where it is untouchable. »

For the German driver, the six-time World Champion has become the essential reference in the Rally. A young driver arriving in the discipline must therefore try to measure himself against the French in order to progress. “ His only goal should be to beat Loeb. So it's simple: he must train on tarmac until he is able to face Sébastien on this terrain. The rest will follow. »

For his part, Sébastien Loeb knows his elder brother less but shows respect for his way of driving. “ I don't know him well. I know he was a great champion but, at the time, I was not interested in rallies, confides the Frenchman in his column for AUTOhebdo. In fact, I remember his Audi quattro and, above all, a film containing images of his feet, always moving, especially his left foot, constantly switching from the clutch to the brakes. I wondered how he could drive while making such mayonnaise with his feet! »

The Frenchman is also honored to read the compliments of the double World Champion in the interview conducted by AUTOhebdo. “ It?s nice to hear him make me his successor and, above all, to know why. Some of his priorities are also mine, like this way of “turning the steering wheel as little as possible”. Counter-steering is always a bit penalizing. On the other hand, I'm not sure I'm like him when he says that I'm as analytical as him. This may be true, but for me this attitude is natural. I barely think about it. I know instinctively where to put the wheels. »

And if he knows that he is the current reference, Sébastien Loeb hopes that young drivers will not want to pin him down at all costs. “ Walter makes me laugh in the first piece of advice he would give to a young person: “Have an obsession with beating Loeb. » There, I say stop! I hope this doesn't happen anytime soon. And I'm tired of giving advice to young people! Eventually, I will end up “making myself come home” by Ogier? » The Frenchman will have the opportunity to show that he is still ahead next weekend in New Zealand.

Find the complete file on thirty years of the Audi quattro, as well as interviews with Walter Röhrl, Michèle Mouton and Franz Wittmann, in AUTOhebdo n°1750, currently on sale.