Loebs record 7.....beatable?

[Macd]

Straight lines are not scary, it's the corners that do it. Present day WRC-cars corner much faster than Group B cars.
If power was all important than dragracers would be the best drivers in the world.

Trying to put down 600+ hp mid corner I would bet is rather scary.

[Josti]

things evolve thats my point....

Ok, shame your points always have to come across so disrespectful though. I think it also shows a lack of knowledge and consideration.

[GigiGalliNo1]

I think Loeb will take 1-2 titles more.
Over time (40+ years if some "WRC" runs that long), it's surely beatable. But in next 10 years, I don't think it is. Now hopefully some more factories join which will also prevent these kinds of records.

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So in my opinion if there were more manufacturers/drivers combinations between years 2005-2010 competitive on tarmac, Loeb would not have claimed all of the 5 titles in that period.

Did anyone think back then that someone would beat Tommi Makinen's four world titles? I don't think so.

Five years after Makinen's consecutive 4 crowns, Loeb began to win. So what difference will it make if it's 10 years or 5 years - so Ogier or Sordo or Hirvonen to begin being World Champion.

Nothing is predictable until it starts to happen.

[WRCfan]

The man is talented there is no doubt about it. It does not matter how many people here try and tell others 'you can't pit the drivers of old with the drivers of today'. Everyone is entitled to an opinion and no one on this board has any influence on my opinion no matter how many stats and figures you present.

I will always hold Sainz in higher regard than Loeb. It is my thinking and I know that the next person is more than likely to think totally different.

Only time will tell although we are lucky to have witnessed it live (many of us) as the dominance of Loeb will be talked about for some time to come.

[bowler]

Without any doubt Loeb is the best of the current drivers, and he has set a record that will be very hard to better.

Is he the best of all time? It is something that can never be measured as the circumstances in the past are different to the circumstances today.

I do not believe that anyone can adequately compare champions of different times with champions of another time.

Does that detract from Loeb? Absolutely not, and he is a true Champion of this day who is so much better than any other entrant in this years championship. And it is he who is better, not the others who are poor. He is head and shoulders above the rest, and only Ogier is approaching his level.

Congratulations to him and Daniel for a Champion season.

[Tumbo]

Did anyone think back then that someone would beat Tommi Makinen's four world titles? I don't think so.

Must agree here - there were so many discussions in the rallying press back then about just how strong the domination of Makinen and Mitsubishi was during that period that it would be yrs before we saw anyone come even close to emmulating that feat.

What I find most interesting however, is the lack of discussion about Loeb being a true 'one make man' who has, like Makinen w/ Mitsubishi, built a team around him, with a strong no.2 (Sordo for all his faults can still knock out the podiums and maintain consistency) and a car specifically designed for his driving style. makinen coped flak for yrs over his loyalty to Mitsu and then managed to successfully move over to Subaru where even though he only achieved 1 win pulled of podiums and showed that even toward the end of his career he still had speed..........just interesting to see the lack of comment in this regard when considering Loeb

[olschl]

One make or not, WRC will likely never see a 7+ times world champion, much less 7 years in a row, any time soon. So many factors came together to provide Seb with the domination he has exhibited over most of the last decade, the worldwide economic downturn playing the biggest part. That being said, he is a man without equal when it comes to car control and has made the most of the opportunities put in front of him. Watching him in France this weekend, I can only feel pity for the other drivers of his era as they literally have no chance whatsoever. I am not a Citroen or Loeb fan myself but I do appreciate and respect what he has done. Given the rules changes coming next year, I feel we are in for very exciting times over the next 5 years and look forward to much more parity in the racing.

[cali]

One make or not, WRC will likely never see a 7+ times world champion, much less 7 years in a row, any time soon. So many factors came together to provide Seb with the domination he has exhibited over most of the last decade, the worldwide economic downturn playing the biggest part. That being said, he is a man without equal when it comes to car control and has made the most of the opportunities put in front of him. Watching him in France this weekend, I can only feel pity for the other drivers of his era as they literally have no chance whatsoever. I am not a Citroen or Loeb fan myself but I do appreciate and respect what he has done. Given the rules changes coming next year, I feel we are in for very exciting times over the next 5 years and look forward to much more parity in the racing.

Well said

[GigiGalliNo1]

Well said

amen.

[ridder]

.......

I do not believe that anyone can adequately compare champions of different times with champions of another time.
.....

... He is head and shoulders above the rest, and only Ogier is approaching his level.
.....

The first part imo denies the second part. The second part is flawed in the same way as NOTs argument of Loeb beating "older" champions:

Mcare
Sainz
Makinen
....
Burns
....
....

were not real competition ?

If say next year Ogier wins title over Loeb, you can't say he's better. You can't even say that if he wins 7 titles in a row and one of them is over Loeb.

One is 10 years older than the other, you can say what you want but a rally driver doesn't have same speed/form during his whole career.

So you can't say Loeb has beaten McRae, Sainz and Makinen who were all nearing the end of their careers.
I hope mentioning Burns was just a mistake..... Burns was ahead of Loeb in WRC2003 until October. In start of november the brain tumor made him loose consciousness, so it's quite certain that he was not 100% fit in October either.