Sébastien Loeb: "I’m going for the win"

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross Media

Nine-time FIA World Champion Sébastien Loeb has set a realistic objective of winning the 2018 World Rallycross of South Africa in Team Peugeot Total's final race in the sport.

Sébastien Loeb claimed victory in Mettet, Belgium and put a stop to Johan Kristoffersson's record breaking run of victories and dominance in 2018.

With the aiming of achieving success at the season finale, Team Peugeot Total drivers Sébastien Loeb and Timmy Hansen have been testing in Portugal. 

The Frenchman's first time out on South African soil in 2017 was not an easy one. He ending the qualifying heats in tenth overall, but progressed to the semi-final in where finished fourth after with a puncture and was unable to progress to the finals. His team-mates Timmy Hansen and Kevin Hansen progressed to the finals for the Peugeot squad. 

After a difficult season finale in 2017, Loeb does not really remember the Killarney International Raceway - Rallycross circuit, but will be studying a few videos to remind himself of the circuit. 

“To be honest I don’t remember so much about the actual circuit in South Africa, so I’ll be studying a few videos again to remind myself before we go there; however, I know that it was a very nice place to finish the championship!," said Loeb.

The Peugeot 208 RX Evo Supercars have shown great speed this season, but the team were unable to convert the speed to more victories. Sébastien will head to Cape Town with the approach of winning. 

"I’ll go into this round with the same approach that I’ve always had: I’m going for the win, and I know that’s definitely a realistic objective," says Loeb. "However, we’ve seen before that to win you need to have a completely clean weekend from the start, and especially to make sure that you have a good launch off the line and not get stuck in traffic."

Team Peugeot Total will leave the World Rallycross Championship at the end of the 2018 championship, and the engineers, mechanics and drivers are aiming to finishing the championship on a high.

"Despite Peugeot’s decision to withdraw from the championship, as a team we have been working hard together to make sure that we have everything in place for a strong final weekend," the Frenchman says.

"I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel of an RX car!”