World Rally Championship record | |
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Active years | 1999–2013, 2015 |
Co-driver | Daniel Elena |
Teams | Citroën, Kronos Citroën |
Rallies | 169 |
Championships | 9 (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012) |
Rally wins | 78 |
Podiums | 116 |
Stage wins | 909 |
Total points | 1625 |
First rally | 1999 Rally Catalunya |
First win | 2002 Rallye Deutschland |
Last win | 2013 Rally Argentina |
Last rally | 2015 Rallye Monte-Carlo |
24 Hours of Le Mans career | |
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Participating years | 2005–2006 |
Teams | Pescarolo Sport |
Best finish | 2nd (2006) |
Class wins | 0 |
Sébastien Loeb (French pronunciation: [sebastjɛ̃ lœb]; born 26 February 1974) is a French professional rally, racing, and rallycross driver. He competed for the Citroën World Rally Team in the World Rally Championship (WRC) and is the most successful driver in WRC history, having won the world championship a record nine times in a row. He holds several other WRC records, including most wins, most podium finishes and most points. Loeb announced his retirement from World Rallying at the end of the 2012 season. Participating in selected events in the 2013 WRC season, he raced a full season in the FIA GT Series driving a McLaren MP4-12C before moving on with Citroën to the FIA World Touring Car Championship in 2014.
Originally a gymnast, Loeb switched to rallying in 1995 and won the Junior World Rally Championship in 2001. Signed by the Citroën factory team for the 2002 season, he and co-driver Daniel Elena took their maiden WRC win that same year at the Rallye Deutschland. After finishing runner-up to Petter Solberg by one point in 2003, Loeb took his first drivers' title in 2004. Continuing with Citroën, he went on to take a record ninth consecutive world title in 2012. Loeb is a tarmac expert, having won all but three WRC rallies on that surface since 2005.