Autoblog

Last year, Sebastien Loeb swapped his WRC Championship winning Citroen Xsara for a test in Renault's F1 car (and former Renault driver Heikki Kovalainen hopped in the Citroen). This year, Loeb's going to take a turn in Red Bull's F1 runner for a test at the Catalunya circuit on November 17th -- Red Bull also sponsors Loeb's WRC team. The difference this time: instead of a quiet get-to-know-the-car session, Loeb will be running with the other teams and drivers during an official F1 testing session. Although he'll be piloting the Renault-powered RB4 with a mission not to embarrass himself, he has no plans to vacate his Citroen rally seat. After five straight WRC championships, piloting an F1 car is just what you do in your time off, for fun. Must be nice...

[Source: F1 Live]

As grippingly dramatic as it was in its closing rounds, yesterday's Brazilian Grand Prix wasn't the only motor sport event held this past weekend. In fact, it wasn't the only top-level championship decider, either, as Sebastien Loeb sailed to his record-beating 5th consecutive World Rally Championship yesterday at Rally Japan.

The achievement beats Loeb's own quadruple title record, which he shared with Tommi Makinen and Juha Kankkunen (both Finns). But with the fifth under his belt, Loeb emerges from the ranks as the sole quintuple champion. Even more remarkable is that championships were earned in succession and uninterrupted. Also remarkable was that Loeb secured the title one rally early, and didn't even have to win the event to lock up the championship. Follow the jump to read how it happened.

[Source: Autosport]

There's smug satisfaction and then there's smug satisfaction. And the folks over at Citroen Sport are enjoying some serious smug satisfaction after taking a brilliant 1-2 finish in the Monte Carlo Rally. Taking first AND second is enough to make any team happy, but to compound that, this was the first race for Citroen's factory rally team since returning to the World Rally Championship, and the first race for their shiny new baby, the Citroen C4 WRC.

First place was taken by three-time world rally champion Sebastien Loeb and his co-pilot Daniel Elena. To make the victory even sweeter, Loeb was fresh back at the wheel after recovering from a broken arm. Claiming the checkered flag at Monte Carlo set a new record for Loeb as his 29th career rally win. This was also the fourth time Loeb won in Monte Carlo, tying the record shared by rally legends Sandro Munari, Walter Rohrl and Tommi Makinen.

The second Citroen factory team driven by Dani Sordo took second place behind Loeb and ahead of Marcos Gronholm's Ford Focus. Not a bad day for Citroen and for Loeb, who are off to a great start to claim another championship.

[Source: Citroen]

Capitalizing on their participation in rally racing has emerged as the marketing ploy du jour for carmakers. Far be it for us to complain when that nets us exciting new hot models from Japanese manufacturers like Subaru and Mitsubishi, but their French compatriots just don't seem to know how to translate racing prowess to road cars. Case in point, the all-show-no-go "by LOEB" Special Series hatchbacks from Citroen.

Parent company PSA says it's released the special editions to honor their all-star driver Sebastien Loeb, but this strikes us as just as big a disgrace to an esteemed racing name as the (thankfully departed) Fiat Stilo Michael Schumacher Edition.

The "special" editions start with the C4 coupe and C2, but badge engineers didn't go anywhere near the engine bay. All the changes are purely cosmetic. According to Citroen, "The C4 by LOEB offers drivers a harmonious blend of sporting passion and day-to-day driving pleasure." That should tip you off, because racing beasts like the Subie STi and Mitsu Evo are anything but harmonious.

Both the C2 and C4 by LOEB are available (overseas only, thankfully) in red or black. They both get rear spoilers, upgraded wheels and special badging to let everyone know the driver's a poser. Inside surfaces are all black with red trim: the steering wheel and shift knobs are black leather with red top-stitching, the seats are black fabric with red trim, little red chevrons are embroidered all over the place, and are complimented by select aluminum accents.

Poor Sebastien. You'd think after winning the WRC title three times, his name would be gracing something with a bit more bite.

Glutton for punishment? Follow the jump for the press release and more images.

[Source: PSA Peugeot Citroen]

Rally racing star Sebastien Loeb was crowned World Rally Champion for a third time in a row...a little early. Loeb's title was secured at a race he wasn't even at, let alone racing in. And he didn't race in the stage before that one, either. Plus there are still two stages left to go, but the title's his whether he comes back to race or not.

The champ watched the Rally of Australia on Sunday from his home in France as he recuperates from a mountain bike injury. His main rival, two-time champion Marcus Gronholm (driving a Ford Focus) failed to finish in the top four in Australia, giving Loeb an air-tight twenty-one point lead, securing the title early. Between the two of them, Gronholm and Loeb won 13 out of 14 races so far this season, virtually locking out the rest of the field.

Two rally stages remain, in New Zealand (November 17-19) and Wales (December 1-3). But with the pressure off, the French driver is likely to focus on his healing and rehab a little longer before hopefully returning for the final stage in Wales. The win is even more remarkable when you consider that Loeb races for Kronos Racing, a private team supported by Citroen Sport, while other rivals race for full factory works teams.

Congratulations to Sebastien along with wishes for a full recovery as he sets his sights on the future to break the records of Finnish drivers Juha Kankkunen and Tommi Makinen, who each hold four championships. Next season Loeb and co-driver Daniel Elena leave their old Citroen Xsara behind and move into the new C4.

[Source: Motorsport.com]

Sebastien Loeb scored a narrow win in the World Rally Championship's Rally Japan this past weekend, the 27th WRC victory of his career, making him the winningest driver in the history of the FIA's rally championship.

Loeb's achievement is all the more remarkable because he only made his WRC debut in 2004, breaking Carlos Sainz' previous record in only four seasons. Loeb has put in a dominating performance this year in his Kronos Racing Citroen, winning seven events in only eleven starts to lead the driver's championship by 33 points over BP/Ford's Marcus Gronholm.

Loeb could well be even stronger next year, when he returns to the Citroen factory team piloting the all-new Citroen C4. Meanwhile, he's on track for his third World Rally Championship heading into the next event in Cyprus.

[Source: Rally Japan]