Rally
Sébastien Loeb jetted in from a second-place finish in the Dakar Rally to win a thrilling season-opener in the mountains above Monte-Carlo and became the oldest WRC winner ever.
Precisely a week on from finishing second overall at the Dakar Rally, Sébastien Loeb was in the wintery French Alps and presented with an opportunity to demonstrate he'd recovered from his Saudi Arabian exertions. The fence separating him from the waiting media was almost as tall as him. It was vaulted without a second thought.
The Frenchman arrived before the massed ranks of reporters with a grin – as well he might, having moved to the front of the Rallye Monte-Carlo field. Could he stay there? Could he be there when it mattered, harbourside in Monaco 48 hours on?
Yes. Very definitely, yes.
Loeb shows the way home from Dakar
Ahead of the opening round of the new-look 2022 World Rally Championship, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team principal Richard Millener still wasn’t sure. Yes, of course Loeb could win. This was Monte-Carlo, but it wasn't a typical Monte. Save for five kilometres of snow on the top of the Sisteron stage, the road through the mountains was dry and largely free from anything limiting grip – curbing the chance for Loeb's craft to come to the fore.
"It’s so hard to know what to expect," said Millener. "He's a nine-time world champion and seven-time Monte winner, but he wasn't here last year and he's been pretty busy recently."
Loeb's mindset was in the same place. He didn’t know either. What he did know was that he felt comfortable with the Ford Puma Rally1 Hybrid and that was a very good place from which to start his first-ever WRC round with the British team.
I won't forget this one – and the same for Isabelle. It's special. This car is so good
He went from pre-event test on Sunday to recce on Monday to the start on Thursday and the lead on Friday.
Having landed the perfect leap over a fence in Puget-Theniers, leader Loeb said: "I pushed really hard all morning. It was quite tricky in places, but I have already a lot of confidence in the car.
"The balance is very good from the car, I know where the limit of the grip is and I can use it. Maybe I'm a little surprised to be leading – I was surprised also when we made the fastest time on the first run at shakedown. My co-driver (Isabelle Galmiche) told me we were quickest and I said, 'I don’t believe it!'"
Fastest on four of six stages, Friday was definitely Loeb's day and he ended it 9.9s ahead.
The Ogier fight back
There was only one man faster than Loeb through Thursday night's opening loop of two stages: Sébastien Ogier. Had to be, didn’t it?
French fans on French roads rose to their feet to greet this perfect pair for what could be one final fight. Not that we haven't said that before. Where Loeb gelled with the WRC's all-new hybrid era immediately, Ogier took a slightly more measured approach. His Toyota Yaris Rally1 wasn't offering quite the same feedback, feel or bite on the all-asphalt lanes.
That changed on Saturday, when the reigning champion went fastest and moved into the lead on the second stage of the weekend.
That snow in Sisteron forced crews to compromise their tyre choice, with heavily treaded winter tyres being mixed with soft compound racers.
Loeb said: "When we're mixing the tyres like this, the balance in the car isn't the same – it’s not so easy today."
Ogier was very much in his stride now and steadily built a lead of 21.1s ahead of the final day. The eight-time Monte-Carlo winner wasn't about to take anything for granted, but he knew as well as anybody that continued dry, sunny and consistent weather would help simplify a four-stage Sunday and possibly the route to the rally's top step for a record ninth time.
The classic finale
With two stages of the rally to go, Ogier had extended his lead to 24.6s. The champagne was making its way towards the ice. This one was as good as being in the bag. That was until the Pirelli PZero tyre on the front-left of the Frenchman's car was emptied of air.
The collected groan from Toyota was drowned out by the reignition of M-Sport's hopes and dreams on the service park's far side. Loeb would start the final test with 9.5s in hand. The fairy tale was back on.
In just over eight and a half minutes it was delivered. Monaco's harbour was rocked by the cheer that went up as Loeb crossed the line to deliver M-Sport's first win since Wales in 2018 and his own previous success, which came one event later in Catalunya three years ago.
Ogier and Toyota were stunned. Loeb, M-Sport and Ford were sufficiently ecstatic that team members couldn't help but throw themselves into the frigid harbour.
Loeb's never been known as one of the most emotional of drivers, but this one got to him. Maybe it was some of the feeling coming from the story on the other side of the car. Galmiche is only the second co-driver to sit with Loeb in 181 starts. Replacing Daniel Elena was no easy task for the Frenchwoman, especially not when it was only her seventh start at the sport's highest level, but she did it brilliantly.
When she and Loeb were met by the team, there was barely a dry eye to be found.
This was a massive result all round – not least because their M-Sport team-mates Craig Breen and Paul Nagle were just a couple of steps down on the podium in third.
"I'm happy," said Loeb. "I won't forget this one – and the same for Isabelle. It's special. This car is so good and thanks to the team for the work. And for Ogier… this was a great fight."
As Loeb emerged victorious from a great fight, there’s only one way to celebrate: to turn somersault on the podium. He didn't disappoint.
Second place for Ogier and his new co-driver Benjamin Veillas demonstrated the strength in their own all-new partnership. If there is a disappointment it's that the Frenchmen won't return for round two.
Both are looking at part-time WRC programmes this season. The good news, however, is that there's no shortage of excitement coming out of this thrilling, ground-breaking hybrid era in the world championship.
The sport's next generation of cars will deliver the next generation of stars this season, but before they land, round one demonstrated there's life left in the old rivalries.
