Tuesday 25th June 2013

Loeb and Citroen to enter WTCC

Sebastien Loeb confirms touring car partnership with Citroen

---

Having won the World Rally Championship nine times and served notice he could make it 10 if he damned well felt like it Sebastien Loeb has more than earned some time with his feet up.

Loeb and car are ready for Pikes Peak

Of course he's not quite ready for his pipe and slippers yet, final preparations for his much hyped Pikes Peak run next week stepping up apace with confirmation that his 875hp 208 GTI T16 has successfully passed scrutineering for the event. And Loeb the 'rookies test' for first-time runners. So that's a relief then.

Obviously the desire to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Ari Vatanen's Pikes Peak win in the 405 T16 will be forefront of his mind right now but that hasn't stopped Citroen announcing that he'll be taking part in the WTCC next year with an all-new team.

Citroen has obviously been the brand most associated with Loeb's WRC dominance, even it's singularly failed to exploit the fact by building any appropriately spicey road cars. That hasn't stopped Loeb taking to the track in some tasty machinery, as evidenced by this neat page on his official website. And having taken two wins in last year's French Porsche Carrera Cup at Pau, driven in the Porsche Supercup at Monaco and Barcelona and campaigning in the FIA GT championship in a McLaren 12C GT3 he's not lacking in frontline track experience. His own Sebastien Loeb Racing team runs five cars in the French Carrera Cup and last year took the team title and counted the series 'gentleman driver' champion among its number too.

Porsche Supercup among Loeb's 'retirement' fun

Citroen isn't saying much about its WTCC car, other than it will benefit from the development work and the same 1.6-litre turbocharged engine that go into the DS3 WRC. On that, Citroen Racing's boss Yves Matton said, "We're still committed to rallying and we'll continue to work hard to try and get the best possible result in 2013. Our partnership with Abu Dhabi is set to be reinforced, enabling us to continue to be involved in WRC with a new system and with new objectives."

Of the WTCC car he says, "Work has already begun in our Versailles technical centre and is set to be stepped up in the coming weeks, with the first tests of our car and the start of our development programme to prepare for the 2014 season." WTCC may seem like a strange choice for Citroen but the brand is thinking globally, the series' profile in emerging markets like China, Russia and South America mirroring those in which it hopes to expand road car sales in lieu of increasingly difficult times in the traditional European market.

As much as Citroen is giving away for now

And Loeb? "It's a bit of a dream to think that we are going to write a new chapter in our history. I can't wait to get out on track in the car and start testing," he says. "I have used this transitional year to try out various experiences and to improve my track driving skills. I don't expect to win straight away, but I am determined to get there one day." Given that he won his first race in the FIA GT any WTCC rivals hoping that modest assessment of his ambitions means they're in for an easy ride had best wise up and get ready for a fight.

Photos: Peugeot/Citroen/LAT

[ClarkyboyS]

I would imagine Citroen and Loeb will do very well... just like everything else they have taken on together!

I honestly think he is quite possibly one of the the best drivers racing today, a hero in my eyes!

best of luck to them.

[Baryonyx]

I'm sure he'll be excellent in that series too! I am loving this re-energised attitude to motorsport from Citroen and Peugeot.

[FWDRacer]

Rob Who?

WTCC about to be turned on its head. Loeb has a Midas touch - De Facto number driver in the world right now.

[loudlashadjuster]

Loeb's been working on his "Sincere Jan-Michael Vincent" look I see.

[Andy ap]

Don't take this the wrong way but Loeb you are gods gift to the steering wheel.... maybe its a good thing he's leaving the WRC i blame him for turning my fascination of rallying into yeah its just another one horse race and boring to watch now. I wish him all the best with the new venture and lets see how well his skills transcend to touring cars and indeed if he'll be the leader of the pack there sometime.

[omgus]

After getting a little bred by his dominance in WRC, i am very excited about this. If he starts to win from the get go it will be astounding,. but seeing him in competition with people is something we have lacked for a little while.

I have no doubt that he will win in WTCC without to much of a wait.

loudlashadjuster said:

Loeb's been working on his "Sincere Jan-Michael Vincent" look I see.

I will never be able to look at him again the same.

[NGK210]

Great news

I wonder how he'll react to the on-track argy-bargy and 'professional fouls' that are par for the course in touring car racing? By nature, touring car drivers seem to be a belligerent bunch of tosspots who often deserve a good kicking - go on Seb, give 'em a good slap!

[Gorgonzola]

Lets just hope that Citreon think about entering the BTCC as well!

[ArnageWRC]

I’m a massive fan of Loeb – but I’m fairly underwhelmed by this news. Wow – he’s going to the WTCC.... driving a 300BHP FWD car......
Could it be that Citroen are that desperate to keep hold of him – and the WTCC is the cheapest Racing programme they could do?
Loeb has always professed an interest to drive powerful cars; hence outings in Porsche 911 GT3, McLaren GT3 et al.....
Personally, I would like to see him in a LMP1/ 2 car more often in the ELMS/ WEC.....

[xspencex]

ArnageWRC said:

I’m a massive fan of Loeb – but I’m fairly underwhelmed by this news. Wow – he’s going to the WTCC.... driving a 300BHP FWD car......
Could it be that Citroen are that desperate to keep hold of him – and the WTCC is the cheapest Racing programme they could do?
Loeb has always professed an interest to drive powerful cars; hence outings in Porsche 911 GT3, McLaren GT3 et al.....
Personally, I would like to see him in a LMP1/ 2 car more often in the ELMS/ WEC.....

Feel the same way, I actually think it's a waste of his talent. DTM, WEC would have really been a good step. Doesn't help that I have a low opinion of WTCC, BTCC etc

Edited by xspencex on Tuesday 25th June 15:49

[Twincam16]

It'll be interesting to see what car Citroen ends up generating for the WTCC. Something based on the C5, perhaps?

Off the back of that, it'll also be interesting to see if it ends up the basis of a performance saloon in the mould of the CX GTi Turbo of the Eighties. I'd be extremely disappointed if we end up with a hard-riding Germanic mess.

[jamespink]

ArnageWRC said:

I’m a massive fan of Loeb – but I’m fairly underwhelmed by this news. Wow – he’s going to the WTCC.... driving a 300BHP FWD car......
Could it be that Citroen are that desperate to keep hold of him – and the WTCC is the cheapest Racing programme they could do?
Loeb has always professed an interest to drive powerful cars; hence outings in Porsche 911 GT3, McLaren GT3 et al.....
Personally, I would like to see him in a LMP1/ 2 car more often in the ELMS/ WEC.....

I suspect that his talent will shine if everyone has a similar car...

[rastapasta]

Thats a nice paint job on the porsche. Very Lancia-like

[Krikkit]

xspencex said:

Feel the same way, I actually think it's a waste of his talent. DTM, WEC would have really been a good step. Doesn't help that I have a low opinion of WTCC, BTCC etc

I would imagine that'll be the next step if he can fund it - sharp-end places in WEC (i.e. LMP1 really) and DTM are both too rich for a private team to do well these days, and he's been embedded with PSA for so long I'd be surprised if he went to another manufacturer.

[bigbubba]

loudlashadjuster said:

Loeb's been working on his "Sincere Jan-Michael Vincent" look I see.

As an aside, have you seen the state of him recently? Time has not been his friend.

[Mark-C]

ArnageWRC said:

I’m a massive fan of Loeb – but I’m fairly underwhelmed by this news. Wow – he’s going to the WTCC.... driving a 300BHP FWD car......
Could it be that Citroen are that desperate to keep hold of him – and the WTCC is the cheapest Racing programme they could do?
Loeb has always professed an interest to drive powerful cars; hence outings in Porsche 911 GT3, McLaren GT3 et al.....
Personally, I would like to see him in a LMP1/ 2 car more often in the ELMS/ WEC.....

Would love to see him back in a prototype - fond memories of him barrelling a Pescarolo out of Indianapolis and taking it off road and seemingly just keeping his foot on the throttle all the way to Arnage before somehow getting back on road in time to throw it right. Fairly sure it was the year before he finished second. A driving god

[fjord]

WTCC is the second biggest snorefest, only beaten (closely) by F1.

It's horrible.

[Janesy B]

S2000 spec is bloody boring, all the cars are old models now apart from the 'orrible Hondas and Ladas

[loudlashadjuster]

bigbubba said:

loudlashadjuster said:

Loeb's been working on his "Sincere Jan-Michael Vincent" look I see.

As an aside, have you seen the state of him recently? Time has not been his friend.

He obviously favours the 'Mickey Rourke' style of ageing.

[GangstaNun]

I agree that his dominance of the WRC has been both astounding and damning for the sport. I feel the WTCC is possibly the worse series he could have moved to. DTM or GT/WEC Racing would have been great.