Loeb will retire after 2011 season

[StevieWonder]

"Ich habe das Gefühl, dass ich genug Risiken eingegangen bin. Und dazu bin ich nicht mehr bereit", erklärte Sebastien Loeb gegenüber französischen Medien. Auf die Frage, ob 2011 seine letzte Saison werden wird, antwortete der Rekord-Weltmeister: "Zweifellos ja."



Mit 59 Siegen und sechs Titeln - der siebte ist so gut wie sicher - ist Loeb der erfolgreichste Rallyefahrer aller Zeiten. Im Sommer verlängerte er seinen Vertrag mit Citroën um ein Jahr, damit er 2011 noch einmal mit dem von ihm mitentwickelten DS3 WRC antreten kann. "Mir geht es jetzt um den Spaß am Sport", so Loeb, der mit Sebastien Ogier in der kommenden Saison den bislang stärksten Teamkollegen bekommen wird.


accordings this article (source: ) Seb will retire after season 2011.
he has already risked much and on the question, if 2011 will be hís last season: "Yes, definitely !"
With 59 wins, 7 titles he´s the most successful rally-driver ever. He wants to enjoy the DS3 and maybe Seb Ogier will get his most competitive team-collegue.

[StevieWonder]

source (normally very serious !):

http://www.rallye-magazin.de/top/topnews/d16/d/2010/09/23/loeb-kuendigt-rueckzug-an/index.html

[GigiGalliNo1]

Autosport is also reporting

I feel gutted! This will suck

*insert sarcasm here***

[gloomyDAY]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/86881

Hard to believe, but the man does have a family to take into consideration.

[Josti]

Understandable and not a big surprise. But by then, he's only been on top level for 10 years, so that's pretty short compared to others, although his success ratio is of course a lot higher.

I assume Le Mans (series) and maybe Dakar are his next projects. I still hope he would make some cameo's in WRC though, just like Grönholm.

[I am evil Homer]

No real surprise....could spell trouble for Ford though unless the Fiesta is substantially better than the DS3. Only one season in the new cars will mean a highly motivated Seb and we all know what he can do when he's 100% attack.

[GallardoGT]

In my view a very sportive en sensible decision. With the new car regulations and a lot more competitors it will be a great challenge for Seb.

[Lalo]

Translating an article from Corsa (one of the best motorsports magazines in Argentina)

"The reign of France's Sebastien Loeb in the Rally World Championship has an expiration date. In an interview with Paris Match magazine gala, Seb said he would withdraw from the activity "at the end of the 2011 season."

After winning six titles and be ready to hold the seventh of its successful sports campaign, Loeb told the magazine that "it is not worth taking unnecessary risks by trying to follow."

The multiple champion said that has nothing to do on arrival at the team of Sebastien Ogier, who never stops amazed by their performance. "It is he who put an end to my career, I who took this decision," he said.

However, being away from the WRC does not mean it will no longer compete. It is quite possible tipping himself to the track through its participation in long-term careers, something that it is not unknown after participating in some editions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

"I've taken enough risks and I'm not willing to take the same. My only motivation now is the pleasure" ended."

http://www.corsaonline.com.ar/2010/09/23/N-4367-loeb-le-puso-fecha-a-su-retiro.php

[Barreis]

He wants to make the same mistake as Gronholm did and after two years he will look for a competetive drive.. Rubish..

[JFL]

He should quit now, because then he would be quitting on top....

[Barreis]

He can do it also next year 'cos nothing will change.. LOL

[ZequeArgentina]

he has dominated the rally scene like nobody has before (with help from his team, and may be not the hardest competition).

it must bne very difficult to keep motivation, and obviousl after being a father the "risk factor" starts to count a lot .

"Does it worth taking this risk?"

Anyway, a switch to other team must have given him more interest, but how to change from a winning combination to othe mor risky.

[Barreis]

It would be stupid to retire at best years.. He can do it like this for years. HE Will BE LOOKING FOR DRIVE in two years from retirement like Gronholm.. Hope he's not stupid..

[Gard]

Problem for Loeb, is that he knows he has been in the best car and it has been built for him. 2011 will (hopefully) be much more even.

[Brother John]

At last he will disappear in WRC, i´ts time to see regularly someone else as a winner. I will not missing him. :s mokin:

[N.O.T]

Problem for Loeb, is that he knows he has been in the best car and it has been built for him. 2011 will (hopefully) be much more even.

or else the you can also have the excuse that the DS3 was also built for him to compensate the incompetence of the drivers you support.

[cali]

or else the you can also have the excuse that the DS3 was also built for him to compensate the incompetence of the drivers you support.

Yes, I remember the time Loeb came to WRC, I think the Xsara was already very competitive and winning car ... two legends Colin and Carlos driving and they got destroyed immediately. So we cannot really say that this car was built for him, cause he was not the main test driver nor he was even driving WRC cars because Xsara was on the scene for few years already.

But once again, I have to agree with N.O.T. :rolleyes:

[Gard]

or else the you can also have the excuse that the DS3 was also built for him to compensate the incompetence of the drivers you support.
We'll never run out of excuses N.O.T. you know that.

For the other drivers it's the last chance to prove that they are as good as Loeb. If Loeb wins 2011 and quits, he'll be GOD forever.

[Gordini]

Loeb has no more to prove in rally, he has won it all. He is no longer "hungry" for rally. That is not hard to understand, and I guess he is moving to racing, to try to find the motivation to be on the edge again. These days you only see how good he really is when he had a problem, is far behind and wants points then he smashes the opposition!
The only way he can find back his hunger for rally, is either to do a Rossi, and move to an underdog, or to do a Gronholm/Schumacher to retire and do a comeback when he feel it is right.

[TMorel]

I'd love him to start his own team, give Petter a challenge for the top privateer, but regardless, I'll honestly miss his crushing dominance.

[Xsara Fan]

I'd love him to start his own team, give Petter a challenge for the top privateer, but regardless, I'll honestly miss his crushing dominance.

AFAIK Loeb has his own team. It`s a PH-Sport.

[Francis44]

PH Sport is owned by Loeb?!

Anyway I think he referes to the championship, full time may be too much for him right now but that dosen't mean he will retire from rally, I remeber and interview few years ago where he talked about doing some rally's outside of the WRC.

[N.O.T]

He wants to make the same mistake as Gronholm did and after two years he will look for a competetive drive.. Rubish..

I agree with this...the good thing when you retire at the top is that everyone remembers you being the best, but the downside is that you feel you left a bit early.

[Tomi]

During our rally, he said in an interview that he would stop already after this season, but that he need time to prepaire for the future, so he will drive 1 year more.
I think he is doing the right thing, its a tough life, much pressure lot of travelling, and after a few Championships already won, it cant be easy to find motivation.
What comes to come backs of old drivers, I dont think Grönholm was the one who was looking for a drive, more like that Prodrive wanted him to help them out in developing the car.

[kakus]

Loeb will retire : maybe, maybe not :

Eurosport.fr today :
Vous avez dit récemment : "La fin approche". Vous avez même déclaré dans la presse : "La bonne nouvelle est que je ne reviendrai plus jamais au Japon puisque le rallye n'est pas au calendrier en 2011" . Mais on ne connait pas le calendrier 2012… Est-ce que ça veut bien dire que vous allez prendre votre retraite fin 2011 ?

S.L. : (Petit temps de réflexion) Heu, je ne sais pas… En fait, j'ai toujours marché au feeling. Je me dis que je ne vais pas continuer éternellement, et que si ça m'a échappé comme ça, c'est que je vais faire 2011, et que pour la suite, je pense aujourd'hui que - peut-être - j'arrêterai après. Mais bon, en 2003 j'ai dit à ma mère : "Encore deux ans et c'est terminé !" Je marche au feeling. Si je suis dans le même état d'esprit fin 2011 qu'aujourd'hui, je continuerai. Mais il y a bien un moment où il faudra passer à autre chose.


http://www.eurosport.fr/rallye/passer-a-autre-chose._sto2480447/story.shtml

[Karukera]

Indeed, there's some amount of "maybe" in that interview.

[koko0703]

I can understand if Loeb retires after 2011 because he has nothing to prove in WRC anymore. Also Citroen has found new Seb and sooner or later their resources will be shifted from Loeb to Ogier. I think it is wise to retire before being treated as the 2nd driver.

[janvanvurpa]

Translating an article from Corsa (one of the best motorsports magazines in Argentina)

"The reign of France's Sebastien Loeb in the Rally World Championship has an expiration date. In an interview with Paris Match magazine gala, Seb said he would withdraw from the activity "at the end of the 2011 season."

After winning six titles and be ready to hold the seventh of its successful sports campaign, Loeb told the magazine that "it is not worth taking unnecessary risks by trying to follow."

The multiple champion said that has nothing to do on arrival at the team of Sebastien Ogier, who never stops amazed by their performance. "It is he who put an end to my career, I who took this decision," he said.

However, being away from the WRC does not mean it will no longer compete. It is quite possible tipping himself to the track through its participation in long-term careers, something that it is not unknown after participating in some editions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

"I've taken enough risks and I'm not willing to take the same. My only motivation now is the pleasure" ended."

http://www.corsaonline.com.ar/2010/09/23/N-4367-loeb-le-puso-fecha-a-su-retiro.php

Muchachito mio, he said in the interview "“No es él quien puso fin a mi carrera" a little difference, no?

[jens]

Loeb's retirement is not a surprise. To be honest, in the past I expected him to retire even a bit earlier (after 2009 or 2010). Also in some ways it would be suitable to retire after 2010, because he is still winning - but with Ogier coming seriously good the younger man may well beat Loeb to the title next year. But then again perhaps Loeb wants to try out the new generation rally cars too before calling it a day.

[Barreis]

Ogier can wipe his a**..

[MJW]

Ogier can wipe his a**..
Dont under estimate Ogier, personally I think he will beat Loeb next year.

[Barreis]

Yes, he has 2 wins already and Loeb 59..

[jens]

Yes, he has 2 wins already and Loeb 59..

On the contrary Ogier has beaten Loeb in the last four gravel rallies.

[Barreis]

Last year Hirvonen beat him 4 times in the row so where's he now?!

[jens]

Last year Hirvonen beat him 4 times in the row so where's he now?!

The difference is that Ogier has beaten Loeb on pure pace, while Hirvonen was more often helped by Loeb's mistakes and time penalties. But who knows, maybe your mentioned cycle will go on with Ogier underperforming in 2011 and the next protagonist in Latvala beating Loeb on several occasions. :p :

[steve_spackman]

I read somewhere that he is making way for Matt Wilson to become the new world champion ;)

[Koz]

He should retire at the end of this season.

He already has a successor in his namesake. He has done all there is to be done, time to hang up the racing boots.

[Hartusvuori]

On yesterday's pre-event press conference Sebastien Loeb take something back on the talks of his retirement after 2011 season. He said no decision has been made and it's all based on how he feels about it next year. He said he feels good about doing the next season and perhaps feels the same next year - or not.

Video of the press conference at WRC.com, this question came at the end, around 6 minutes.

[Mirek]

PH Sport is owned by Loeb?!

I think he shares 1/3-1/2 of PH Sport.

[It's JM]

While the rest are saddened that Loeb is retiring, I'm glad he is. Not really fancying this guy winning every rally for the past while.

[Barreis]

Hope not true..