Loeb ’curious’ ahead of WRC return

The nine-time world champion returns to Citroën’s C3 hot seat after a WRC absence of more than three years. His last top-flight outing with the French manufacturer came at Rallye Monte-Carlo in 2015 where he and co-driver Daniel Elena finished eighth.

Despite a successful recent test at Almeria, Spain allowing Loeb to give his approval to the suspension modifications Citroën Racing has made to the C3 since he last drove the car in 2017, Loeb wasn’t prepared to predict where he will finish when the action gets underway on Mexico’s gravel stages.

"The goal is to have fun, to drive like I feel and I’m quite curious to know where I will be," Loeb told WRC.com. "For Mexico it’s difficult to know, difficult to have ambition and it’s too long that I didn’t drive.

"We will have some disadvantage. I don’t know the stages as well as the other drivers, so it’s really difficult to know where we will be. It will be very complicated to win."

Loeb’s outing at Rally Guanajuato Mexico will mark the beginning of a three-event WRC programme with the team he won all of his championship titles with during a glittering career. He is scheduled to also drive the C3 on Corsica’s asphalt roads (5 - 8 April) and at Spain’s mixed surface fixture (25 - 28 October).

Loeb has identified the need to establish a good early rhythm as he bids to show he hasn’t lost any of his WRC speed, despite turning 44 on Monday.

He said: "My rivals are driving all the season, testing a lot and driving in the rallies. They are in the rhythm that I lost since a few years now. I think it will be very difficult but I hope I will be in a good rhythm as well."