Loeb: “A great success”

After a year of absence, the Rally of Portugal returns to the calendar WRC. What do you think of this ordeal?
“It’s really a beautiful rally, which deserves its place in the World Championship. The public is very numerous and knowledgeable. We are always very well received, it's nice to feel that the rally matters to people and that the coming of the WRC is a major event. The special stages are beautiful and the weather is generally pleasant. In short, all the conditions are met for us to have a good weekend! I like this quite varied route, with different types of soil and profiles. »

Will this first 100% gravel rally set the tone for the rest of the season?
“We know that a strong crew with a strong car in Portugal will also be formidable in other areas such as Argentina, Sardinia or Greece. After three very specific events, Portugal is the first rally which comes closest to the standards of the World Championship in its configuration. Thanks to the level of development achieved on the C4 WRC, we know where we stand. For example, in Cyprus we used the same settings base as we had in Great Britain. Which means that our car is versatile on all terrains. »

You won the first three races of the season, has that never happened to you? Are you thinking about the grand slam out of the twelve events on the calendar?
“I know we are capable of winning every rally. As long as we have won them all, nothing is impossible. But twelve rallies is a long time. Last year, we won eleven times out of fifteen starts. We are enjoying great success at the moment but I am absolutely not thinking of this type of performance. I approach each rally independently of the others, with the championships as my final objective. »