2022 WRC News & Rumours

[ouvreur]

I’m pretty sure than by offering them a 4-round Rally1 program, they would have succeeding in hiring Ostberg or Mikkelsen for a full 7-round WRC-2 program in addition for almost nothing. And they would be at the same level than the old Loeb.

"The same level"? M-Sport hiring Loeb isn't about marketing, or the results he might be able to deliver - as great a story as it might be to see him 'finally' work with the team, or win a rally in yet another generation of cars. No, it's about his ability and experience in developing rally cars. There has never been a driver involved in developing as many rally- and championship-winning cars as Sebastien Loeb. Ever.

That's the angle you need to be looking at it from. Mikkelsen or Ostberg might just about be able to deliver similar results on rallies as late-career Loeb, but there's a reason why it's the 47 year old Frenchman in the Puma, and they're not...

(Edited for accuracy - I knew he was 47, honest)