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WRC legend Sebastien Loeb joins Peugeot World Rallycross team
Nine-time world rally champion Sebastien Loeb is set to spice up the World Rallycross Championship after Peugeot confirmed on Monday the Frenchman would be racing the whole season for Team Peugeot-Hansen.
Nine-time world rally champion Sebastien Loeb is set to spice up the World Rallycross Championship after Peugeot confirmed on Monday the Frenchman would be racing the whole season for Team Peugeot-Hansen.
The 42-year-old Loeb was most recently in action in the Dakar Rally, where he came ninth, and has been racing in the World Touring Car Championship since effectively retiring from the WRC in 2012.
Now fans can enjoy a renewal of his old rivalry with Norway’s Petter Solberg, current world champion of the sprint style closed circuit format, raced in smaller but punchier cars.
The season starts on April 15 and runs through to November in Argentina.
Peugeot also confirmed that Loeb would be partnering Timmy Hansen, the son of 14-time European Rallycross champion Kenneth Hansen, in their two-car squad racing in the 208 WRX, 550 horsepower, supercar.
That is 200 horsepower more than the car he handled for the Dakar rally.
“Given the power and competitiveness of the car, I can only say just how excited I am at the prospect of racing a full season,” said Loeb.
“The car and the strategy for this type of racing is completely new to me, so I have a lot to learn, but I hope I can be competitive pretty soon.”
Rallycross combines circuit and rally with small groups racing against each other in knock-out format, before six cars and racers go for the honours.
