“I have a new rival now.”
Those were the words uttered by then six-time world champion Sebastien Loeb in 2010 after losing a hard-fought Rally Portugal duel to Sebastien Ogier – as the young pretender to the World Rally Championship throne claimed a breakthrough maiden victory. It was a premonition as accurate as Loeb’s precision behind the wheel that would help the Frenchman record a career nine world titles and 80 rally wins to date.
Portugal 2010 marked the emergence of a new world order and challenger for Loeb. It was the precursor for several intense and sometimes controversial duels, until Loeb decided to bow out as a full-time WRC driver following his ninth title-winning campaign in 2012.
Twelve years and a few battle scars later, Loeb and Ogier remain perhaps the two most revered names in the WRC. Ogier picked up the WRC baton previously held by Loeb at the end of 2012 to ensure the Sebastien dominance continued, winning eight of the next nine world titles with Volkswagen, M-Sport Ford and Toyota.
But in a strange twist of fate, this rivalry has been rekindled now that Ogier has joined Loeb as a semi-retired WRC driver. The pair, not quite ready to walk into the sunset just yet, have both embarked on partial-season programmes in 2022. After bowing out as a WRC full-timer with his eighth world title in 2021, Ogier has remained part of the Toyota set-up in the squad’s third GR Yaris, while Loeb has teamed up with M-Sport for one-off events in its Ford Puma.
The duo created headlines in January after becoming embroiled in one of the WRC’s all-time classic scraps. It was only decided in Loeb’s favour in a final stage showdown, when a puncture for Ogier on the penultimate stage of the time-honoured asphalt season opener forced him to relinquish his lead.
With the pair now set to line up again in their first WRC outings since Monte Carlo this weekend, for a potential Great Gravel GOAT Off in Portugal as the WRC celebrates its 50th season, it is pertinent to…
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