Sebastien Loeb will return to asphalt, piloting a 2017‑spec Ford Fiesta WRC in this weekend’s French Tarmac Rally Championship.
Legends on Local Asphalt
The nine‑time World Rally Champion, currently leading the World Rally‑Raid series with Dacia, opts for a brief intermission from raid events to compete in the Rallye Vosges – Grand Est. The event marks the fourth round of France’s premier tarmac championship.
Historic Machine, New Hope
Loeb teams up with co‑driver Laurène Godey behind a car that once graced the podiums of partners Sébastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans. Built by M‑Sport for the 2018 and 2019 WRC seasons, the Fiesta delivered Ogier’s 2018 Corsica triumph and Evans’ 2019 Monte Carlo outings. Armando Pereira owns the vehicle, having raced it since 2020.
Weekend Blueprint
Streets and shoulders across 12 asphalt stages cover 199.6 km of rallying. Action kicks off Saturday and concludes on Sunday, with Loeb aiming to leverage his one‑day WRC experience—his last top‑level WRC drive being the 2022 Acropolis Rally with M‑Sport Ford, where he secured his 80th career win at Monte Carlo.
Back on asphalt, Loeb and Godey look forward to a “gripping,” competitive weekend, blending veteran skill with the storied heritage of the Ford Fiesta WRC – a machine that has already etched multiple honours into the rallying annals. The French event may well remind fans why Loeb’s name resonates across the sport’s history.
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