The nine-time world champion came through an epic four-day head-to-head fight with eight-time champion Ogier to claim his 80th WRC win, arriving a decade after winning his last championship.
Loeb, driving for M-Sport Ford in a one-event deal, was fast from the outset in the new Rally1 hybrid Puma, pushing Toyota’s Ogier hard.
The 47-year-old took the lead on Friday after winning four of the six stages, but was facing a 21.1s deficit to Ogier heading into the final day.
However, the rally took a dramatic twist when Ogier suffered a front left puncture on the penultimate stage, which handed a 9.5s lead to Loeb, setting up a final stage showdown.
Ogier set a blistering pace but a 10s jump start penalty ultimately decided the rally, with Loeb winning by 10.5s.
Loeb declared the win as “unbelievable” while labelling it as proof that the older drivers can still perform at the highest level.
The achievement was made all the more impressive given Loeb’s busy start to 2022 having…
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