Webremix Articles

Dominant Loeb makes it half a dozen wins in Monte Carlo

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 03:07:58 GMT

Sebastien Loeb claimed his sixth Monte Carlo Rally crown as his quest for a ninth-straight world rally title got off to the perfect start.

Loeb starts season with Monte Carlo win

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 19:04:08 GMT

Source: Reuters Citroen's Sebastien Loeb started his hunt for a ninth successive world championship with a commanding victory in the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally today. The Frenchman beat ...

Loeb Starts Season With Monte Carlo Win

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:48:23 GMT

Citroen's Sebastien Loeb started his hunt for a ninth successive world championship with a commanding victory in the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally on Sunday.

Loeb wins Monte Carlo rally

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 10:01:20 GMT

Reigning world champion Sebastien Loeb of France in a Citroen won the Monte Carlo rally on Sunday.

In what was the opening leg of the 2012 World Rally Championship season, Loeb triumphed ahead of Dani Sordi of Spain (Mini) and Petter Solberg of Norway (Ford Fiesta)

WRC: Sebastien Loeb not fastest, but fast enough to retain lead at Monte Carlo Rally

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 03:49:37 GMT

Sebastien Loeb is on track for his sixth Monte Carlo Rally victory after completing the fourth stage of the Monte Carlo Rally over the famous Col de Turini with an extended lead, despite not setting a fastest stage time.

Loeb poised for sixth Monte Carlo title

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 22:01:23 GMT

World champion Sebastien Loeb was poised to clinch a sixth victory in the Monte Carlo Rally after building up a huge lead of 2min 41.6sec on Saturday.

French driver Loeb steered his Citroen DS3 coolly around Saturday's four mountain stages in the principality, happy to cut out the risks and keep his advantage.

Dani Sordo continues to hold second in his Mini but Petter Solberg closed to within 19.1sec of the Spaniard in his Ford Fiesta after winning three of the day's four stages.

Loeb extends lead on 3rd day of Monte Carlo Rally (AP)

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:49:45 GMT

AP - Eight-time world champion Sebastien Loeb has extended his lead on the third day of the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally, with Daniel Sordo pulling ahead of Petter Solberg for second.

Loeb takes lead on 1st day of Monte Carlo rally (AP)

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:45:44 GMT

AP - Eight-time world champion Sebastien Loeb took the lead on the first day of the season-opening Monte Carlo rally on Wednesday after Jari-Matti Latvala rolled his car and fell out of contention.

Loeb in quest for 9th World Rally Championship title

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:31:14 GMT

Sebastien Loeb will be aiming for an unprecedented ninth World Rally Championship title when the 2012 season kicks off Wednesday with the return of the Monte Carlo Rally.

After three years on the Intercontinental Rally Challenge circuit, the Monte Carlo Rally is back in the WRC and set to provide a spectacle with seven world champions and five former winners of the race in the field.

Report: Valentino Rossi hopes for future in rally racing [UPDATE: w/video]

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:31:00 GMT

Filed under: Motorsports, Motorcycle, Rumormill

Valentino Rossi , certainly the greatest motorcycle racer of our generation, has no concrete plans to leave MotoGP . In fact, after an extremely disappointing first season with Ducati in 2011, we'd wager he'll be sticking around for at least a few more years to prove he's still got what it takes to win at the highest level when competing on competitive machinery.

But, as we've heard in the past, Rossi would love nothing more than to "retire" by taking a break from two-wheeled competition and settling into something with four. And while we know The Doctor has proven quite adept at piloting a Ferrari Formula One machine , the likeable Italian apparently prefers to rally. In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Rossi said:

I'm happy, it was one of my best rallies, even if I had won it the past. Getting ahead of Loeb in two specials really turned me on... I'll do a few more years in MotoGP, then I'd race in rallies: these machines are really fun to drive because they have less electronics.

A future career in rally racing wouldn't be a stretch for Rossi - the motorcycle racer finished in second place in a Ford Fiesta RS WRC, a mere 24 seconds behind eight-time world champion Sebastien Loeb's Citroen DS3 .

*UPDATE: Video of Rossi's rally exploits added after the break.

Continue reading Valentino Rossi hopes for future in rally racing [UPDATE: w/video]

Valentino Rossi hopes for future in rally racing [UPDATE: w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Nov 2011 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Sebastien Loeb seals record eighth World Rally Championship despite off-track crash

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 22:51:00 GMT

Filed under: Motorsports, Citroën, UK

You take the good with the bad. It's a motto that applies to any number of situations in life, and certainly does in motorsports. That's what Sebastien Loeb and his longtime co-pilot Daniel Elena found this weekend in Wales.

In the midst of a hard-fought battle with Jari-Matti Latvala in a Ford Fiesta RS , Loeb and Elena were on their way back to the paddock when they collided over a blind crest with another car. The Citroën DS3 WRC was damaged virtually beyond repair, but the position in which they retired was still good enough to clinch a record eighth drivers' title in World Rally Championship to join the manufacturers' title claimed for the team last month.

The Citroën mechanics managed to piece the car back together enough to pose for some photos, which you can see in the high-res image gallery. But even if it wasn't the ideal picture-perfect finish for the undisputed dominant force in rallying, it still didn't stop Loeb from celebrating his place as the most accomplished driver in all of motorsport.

Continue reading Sebastien Loeb seals record eighth World Rally Championship despite off-track crash

Sebastien Loeb seals record eighth World Rally Championship despite off-track crash originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Nov 2011 17:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rally champ's crash with hire car

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 18:34:15 GMT

FIA World Rally champion Sebastien Loeb says he crashed out of the Wales Rally GB after a collision with a fan in a hire car in a road section between stages.

Fiesta for Latvala in final rally

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 13:32:47 GMT

Finnish driver Jari-Matti Latvala won the final rally of the season the Wales Rally GB here on Sunday for his fifth career win but first since his home rally in 2010.

The 26-year-old led home a Ford Fiesta 1-2-3 after Citroen's newly-crowned champion Sebastien Loeb exited the contest after an accident between the 18th and 19th stages.

Latvala finished more than four minutes ahead of Norwegian duo Mads Ostberg and Henning Solberg.

Latvala nips in front of Loeb in Wales Rally GB

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 17:12:26 GMT

Finland's Jari-Matti Latvala took over the lead from Frenchman Sebastien Loeb following the six special stages on the third and penultimate day of the season-closing Wales Rally GB on Saturday.

Loeb, who virtually secured his record eighth consecutive world title on Friday when sole rival Mikko Hirvonen abandoned, was second at six seconds after stages 12 to 17.

The Wales Rally GB is the 13th and final race of the world rally championship.

In pictures: Wales Rally GB

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 20:00:54 GMT

Sebastien Loeb claims world title at Wales Rally GB

Loeb Leads in Britain but Title Bid Made Harder

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 22:09:06 GMT

Sebastien Loeb led the British rally at the end of the first day Thursday but his hopes of claiming an eighth successive world championship were dented when team mate Sebastien Ogier crashed out on the opening stage in Wales.

Loeb aiming for eighth title at GB Rally

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 19:31:56 GMT

Sebastien Loeb will bid for an eighth consecutive drivers' title at the season-closing leg of the World Rally Championship starting in Wales on Thursday.

Loeb's 67th career win and the fifth this year at last month's Rally of Catalunya assured his team Citroen of the manufacturers' title ahead of the closing rally in Wales to come.

The French ace, who has also won in Mexico, Sardinia, Argentina and Finland this season, now goes into the final rally with an eight-point advantage over Finn Mikko Hirvonen in the overall drivers' standings.

Loeb Sets Up Own Team for Endurance Events

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 18:54:04 GMT

Seven-times rallying world champion Sebastien Loeb has set up his own team with a friend and could one day move into circuit racing, the Frenchman said on Sunday.

Official: Skoda hints at what's to come from Volkswagen with S2000 WRC title

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:32:00 GMT

Filed under: Motorsports, Hatchback, Volkswagen, Skoda, Off-Road, Racing

To the outsider, it would be all too easy to forget that the FIA World Rally Championship has more than one class. Just like Le Mans endurance racing has various LMP and GT racing categories, and NASCAR has the Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series, so too does the WRC have more than one tier. So while the Sebastien Loeb and the Citroën World Rally Team were locking up their seventh title in the top tier of the championship, Skoda took its first title in the Super 2000 category as its Finnish crew Juho Hänninen and Mikko Markkula won took a class win and 10th overall in the RACC Rally of Spain this past weekend.

So what, who cares, you ask? Well you'd be forgiven for dismissing an overseas automaker (whose products we don't even get here) winning a second-tier rally series that doesn't come here, either. (Mexico's the closest stage on this year's calendar.) But we'll tell you why it matters: Skoda's sister (or parent) company Volkswagen is entering the top-tier WRC next season with the new Polo R . And while VW has enjoyed much success in rally-raid events like Dakar, the WRC is an entirely different beast.

In order to prepare for its assault on the most world's foremost rally series, Volkswagen has been looking to Skoda's program to test out everything from machinery to personnel. And given that Skoda - whose motorsport division celebrates its 110th anniversary this year - has come out on top, we could be looking at a very serious contender from Wolfsburg for next year's championship.

Continue reading Skoda hints at what's to come from Volkswagen with S2000 WRC title

Skoda hints at what's to come from Volkswagen with S2000 WRC title originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Oct 2011 08:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Citroen claims seventh WRC title on back of Loeb win in Spain

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:21:00 GMT

Filed under: Motorsports, Citroën

If there was ever any doubt, let it now be put to rest, as Citroën has claimed its seventh Manufacturers' Title - its fourth in a row - in the World Rally Championship .

The results were sealed when multiple champion Sebastien Loeb and his co-driver Daniel Elena won this past weekend's Rally of Spain. The victory ensured that the Citroën World Rally Team could not be caught by Ford , even though there is still one round to go before the 13-rally calendar draws to a close in Wales next month.

Although the Manufacturers' Title is all tied up, however, the Drivers' Title is still in contention. Loeb holds an eight-point lead over his nearest rival, Mikko Hirvonen. Sebastien Ogier in the other Citroën DS3 WRC was also in contention for the title until his car broke down with engine problems.

That leaves Loeb in the lead for his eighth consecutive world championship, but with Hirvonen not far behind in his Fiesta RS, nothing's for sure just yet. Details in the press release after the jump.

Continue reading Citroen claims seventh WRC title on back of Loeb win in Spain

Citroen claims seventh WRC title on back of Loeb win in Spain originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 09:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Loeb overtakes Alen's stage record, eyes victory

Sat, 22 Oct 2011 19:32:03 GMT

Sebastien Loeb made history on Saturday, overtaking legendary Finn Markku Alen's record of 801 special stage wins as he maintained his lead in the Rally of Catalunya.

Citroen's seven-time world rally champion posted the quickest time in the first 45km special of day two to draw level with Alen, then overtook his benchmark in the following 12km stage -- his 802nd career success.

By the end of the day, Loeb led Ford duo Jari-Matti Latvala, by 27.6sec, and Mikko Hirvonen, who was 1min 51.8sec off the pace.

Loeb Leads After Dusty Opening Day in Spain

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 20:39:22 GMT

Sebastien Loeb grabbed the overall lead in the final stage on a dusty first day at the Rally of Spain as the Citroen driver continued his bid for an eighth consecutive world title in the season's penultimate race.

Ogier suffers title hopes blowout

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:31:54 GMT

French driver Sebastien Ogier endured a world rally championship title setback on Friday when his Citroen suffered a puncture on the opening day of the Rally of Catalunya.

Ogier, who started the penultimate race of the season in third place in the standings, just three points behind joint-leaders Sebastien Loeb and Mikko Hirvonen, lost 1min 40sec while the tyre was changed.

The puncture happened on the fifth stage and sent Ogier down from third place to fifth in the race, 1min 51sec behind race leader Jari-Matti Latvala in a Ford Fiesta.

Catalunya a title duel for rally drivers Loeb and Hirvonen

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 19:55:00 GMT

The Rally of Catalunya is shaping up to be a drawn-out battle between Sebastien Loeb and Mikko Hirvonen, who are neck-and-neck going into the 12th and penultimate race of the World Rally Championship season.

Citroen's Loeb, the seven-time world champion, heads into the three-day race with 196 points, the same as Ford's Hirvonen, a Finn who has twice been world runner-up.

Ogier Ends Loeb's Winning Run in Germany

Sun, 21 Aug 2011 14:27:04 GMT

World champion Sebastien Loeb was denied a ninth successive win in the Rally of Germany when he was beaten by fellow Citroen driver Sebastien Ogier Sunday.

Ogier Ends Loeb's Winning Run in Germany

Sun, 21 Aug 2011 14:27:04 GMT

BERLIN (Reuters) - World champion Sebastien Loeb was denied a ninth successive win in the Rally of Germany when he was beaten by fellow Citroen driver Sebastien Ogier Sunday.

Loeb puncture hands German lead to Ogier

Sat, 20 Aug 2011 20:10:51 GMT

Sebastien Loeb was set to suffer his first defeat in the Rally of Germany since 2002 when his Citroen suffered a puncture which allowed teammate Sebastien Ogier to open a 1min 13sec lead on Saturday.

The final-stage incident means Ogier has just five stages to negotiate on Sunday to clinch victory.

Ogier began Saturday?s action 7.4 sec behind the seven-time world champion and still in the hunt for victory only to be told by his team to maintain position behind Loeb to ensure a one-two finish for the French outfit.

Loeb thrives in German rain

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 17:51:17 GMT

Sebastien Loeb's campaign to win a ninth Rally of Germany title enjoyed a flying start on Friday as his rivals struggled in the rainy conditions on the first asphalt race of the season.

Loeb carved out a 7.4-sec lead over Citroen team-mate Sebastien Ogier with Finland's Mikko Hirvonen in a factory Ford Fiesta in third place, but a massive 1min 18.4sec off the Frenchman's pace.

"It's been a good day for me. I?ve been pushing very, very hard because Ogier has been pushing everywhere," said Loeb, who won three of the day's six stages.

Loeb keeps slim lead over Ogier in Finland

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 21:29:47 GMT

Seven-time world champion Sebastien Loeb will take a slender 1.5sec lead over Citroen teammate Sebastien Ogier into Saturday's third day of the Rally of Finland.

French driver Loeb had led overnight but he will also be aware of the danger posed by home driver Jari-Matti Latvala who is only 2.6secs off the pace in his Ford Fiesta.

Loeb lost ground late in the day when rocks thrown up by Ogier?s smashed his windscreen.

Loeb dominates Rally of Finland opening day

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 20:10:36 GMT

French driver Sebastien Loeb claimed two out of three stages on day one of the Rally of Finland on Thursday as he took his Citroen to a 2.8sec lead over team-mate Sebastien Ogier.

Last year's winner Jari-Matti Latvala, driving a Ford Fiesta, is 4.4sec off the lead in third place.

"I drove well and did some good special stages, but the others will be just in behind me when I drive first on the road on Friday," said Loeb.

Hirvonen hopes for home advantage at Rally of Finland

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 06:11:11 GMT

Mikko Hirvonen is hoping home advantage will supply him with a winning hand in this weekend's Rally of Finland.

In its 60 years of existence this ultra demanding leg of the world rally championship has only been won seven times by non-Finnish drivers, the last being Sebastien Loeb in 2008.

Hirvonen, who hails from Jyvaskyla the town around which the rally runs, captured it in 2009 but crashed out last year.

The 30-year-old said: "A win here is important, not only because I live close by but also because I need to get as many points on the board as I can."

Your ridiculously dirty Citroen WRC wallpaper is here [Car Porn]

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 23:56:31 GMT

If you rally race and your name is Sebastian, you're probably pretty good. You're also probably driving one of the CitroA n DS3 WRC racers like the one above, which was piloted to victory at the "Rally of the Gods: in Greece by Sebastian Ogier ahead of Sebastien Loeb in his DS3.

Loeb grabs Greek lead as Ogier suffers in dust

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 20:10:02 GMT

World champion Sebastien Loeb overcame a 15sec deficit to snatch the lead in the Acropolis Rally following a dramatic night-time stage at the end of the second day on Saturday.

Loeb started the stage in second position behind Citroen team-mate Sebastien Ogier, who reported losing time in hanging dust.

"I was pushing hard but it was very slippery in some places," said Loeb, who will run first on the road on the final day.

"There was a lot of dust in the start of the stage and I thought I would lose one minute but then it was finished after four kilometres."

Solberg off to a flier in Rally of Greece

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 17:10:02 GMT

Norwegian Citroen driver Petter Solberg got off to a flier in the Rally of Greece on Friday, establishing a lead of 51sec over world championship leader Sebastien Loeb after the day's six special stages.

Solberg timed an overall 1hr 39min 24.2sec with his teammate Loeb second and Finnish challenger Mikko Hirvonen lying three seconds further back in his Ford Fiesta.

France's Sebastien Ogier was 57.2sec off the early pace in his Citroen.

Ford look to turn up heat on Loeb in Greece rally

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 17:29:56 GMT

Ford drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala will be looking to turn up the heat on championship leader Sebastien Loeb as the world rally championship heads to their team's favourite terrain of Greece on Friday.

Coming off wins in Sardinia and Argentina, Citroen DS3 driver Loeb will be keen to keep up the momentum in the Acropolis Rally which he won in 2005 and 2008.

But despite his successes here, the gruelling Greek race is not one of his favourites as it is for rivals Ford who have notched up an impressive seven wins since 2000.

Loeb steals Argentina win

Mon, 30 May 2011 16:17:15 GMT

Seven-time world champion Sebastien Loeb staged a dramatic recovery to win the Rally Argentina for a sixth time.The Citroen driver was handed a one-minute penalty on Friday and began day three in ...

Loeb steals Argentina win

Mon, 30 May 2011 16:17:15 GMT

Seven-time world champion Sebastien Loeb staged a dramatic recovery to win the Rally Argentina for a sixth time.The Citroen driver was handed a one-minute penalty on Friday and began day three in ...

Latvala leads way in Rally of Argentina

Fri, 27 May 2011 22:29:07 GMT

Finn Jari-Matti Latvala led the way in his Ford Fiesta after the opening day of the Rally of Argentina here on Friday after French favourite Sebastien Loeb was hit by a one-minute penalty to knock back his hopes.

Latvala won four of the day's sections to earn himself an 18.2sec lead over Norwegian Petter Solberg of Citroen with stablemate Sebastien Ogier third at 28.8sec.

Another Finn, Mikko Hirvonen, stood fourth in his Ford Fiesta at 43.5sec with serial champion Loeb having it all to do with 90sec to make up after day one despite winning special stages one and seven.

Loeb Leads in Sardinia as Mini Retires on Return

Fri, 06 May 2011 17:57:05 GMT

Seven-times world champion Sebastien Loeb led the field yet again after the first day of the rally of Italy on Friday when Mini's return to the sport suffered an early blow.

Loeb Leads in Sardinia as Mini Retires on Return

Fri, 06 May 2011 17:57:05 GMT

CAGLIARI, Italy (Reuters) - Seven-times world champion Sebastien Loeb led the field yet again after the first day of the rally of Italy on Friday when Mini's return to the sport suffered an early ...

Ogier edges Latvala in Jordan

Sat, 16 Apr 2011 22:00:01 GMT

Frenchman Sebastien Ogier driving a Citroen won his second successive rally yesterday taking the Rally of Jordan. The 27-year-old – who won the Rally of Portugal last month – squeaked home two tenths of a second ahead of Finland’s Ford Fiesta pilot Jari-Matti Latvala, who had been third in Portugal. Ogier’s compatriot and seven-time world champion Sebastien Loeb finished third. Ogier was ecstatic at his victory, though, it was also tinged with relief as he had seen a commanding 33sec lead in the morning whittled down by Latvala, who won three successive special stages. “It is fantastic, unbelievable, I am speechless,” said Ogier, who was claiming his fourth Rally win. “I had to attack really hard because Jari-Matti was really fast today (Saturday). “However, I could not go any faster.” Ogier, though, managed to stave off the charging Latvala in the Power Stage, new to the WRC this season, which he won and also claimed three bonus points towards the overall...

WRC Jordan Rally delayed due to political unrest, stormy seas and engine trouble

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 23:40:00 GMT

Filed under: Motorsports, Middle East

Sebastien Loeb drives the 2010 Jordan Rally

Mounting a rally is never easy to begin with. Organizing one in the Middle East amidst the greatest popular upheaval in the region's considerable history, however, is another matter entirely. We recently reported on the potential effects which demonstrations and revolutions across the region could have on motorsport competition, and now it's all come home to roost.

Only two months after protests forced the cancelation of the Bahrain Grand Prix , a number of unpredictable factors have caused the delay - but not the cancellation - of the WRC rally in Jordan. Although the Hashemite Kingdom itself has remained relatively stable, getting the cars and equipment there this year proved a unique hassle. Teams were cautioned against trying to go through the Suez Canal due to the situation in Egypt, and with protests kicking into high gear in Syria, Plan B was out, too. Organizers ended up shipping by sea from Italy to Israel, only to be faced by further setbacks.

Stormy weather reportedly dictated it unsafe for the ship to dock in Haifa - Israel's northern port on the Mediterranean - leaving it stranded one kilometer offshore. When the harbor finally gave the all-clear for the ship to dock, one of its engines wouldn't start, forcing tug-boats to bring it in and shutting down all traffic in the port in the process. The shipment was then delayed in customs and took fourteen hours to finally reach the Jordanian coast of the Dead Sea where the garages are being set up.

The rally is now set to begin on Friday, two days behind schedule, but ready to go nonetheless. Meanwhile, the ship has since been impounded by the Israeli ministry of transportation until its engine can be repaired, forcing organizers to make alternative arrangements for getting their cars and gear back to Italy for the Sardinia rally on May 5.

[Source: Autosport | Image: McKlein/Citroën]

WRC Jordan Rally delayed due to political unrest, stormy seas and engine trouble originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Apr 2011 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Citroen pair set for Jordan Rally

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:28:56 GMT

Citroen DS3 drivers Sebastien Loeb and Sebastien Ogier will compete in the Jordan Rally on the shores of the Dead Sea from April 14-16, Citroen Racing confirmed on Thursday.

The fourth leg of this year's World Rally Championship (WRC) had been under threat due to the political turmoil and popular uprisings in the Middle East, notably in neighbouring Syria.

Rally governing body the International Automobile Federation (FIA) considered cancelling the race but were subsequently given assurances from the Jordanian race organisers.

Hirvonen leads after first stage in Portugal

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 22:57:46 GMT

Finn Mikko Hirvonen, who tops the current world drivers' championship, also headed the timesheets after the first stage of Rally Portugal, just ahead of current champion Sebastien Loeb. It was ...

Report: VW poised to join WRC by month's end

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 22:33:00 GMT

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Hatchback, Volkswagen, Off-Road, Racing

Carlos Sainz at the 2010 Dakar Rally - Click above for high-res image gallery

According to Autocar , Volkswagen is expected to announce its participation in WRC by the end of this month. The automaker has been rumored to enter WRC ever since the racing series announced a shift to 1.6-liter-based rules.

If the rumors are to be believed, the car, which is already under development, will be based on the Polo. Volkswagen has tapped Fracois-Xavier Demaison, who has led rally projects for Peugeot and Citroen, to get the diminutive Polo ready to race.

The driver for VW's WRC assault remains undetermined, though apparently the German automaker has tried - and failed - to get Sebastien Loeb. Petter Solberg's name has also come up as a possible pilot for the effort.

Gallery: Carlos Sainz wins the 2010 Dakar Rally

[Source: Autocar ]

Report: VW poised to join WRC by month's end originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sebastien Ogier clings on to Rally of Mexico lead

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 21:47:18 GMT

Last Updated: Mar 6, 2011 MEXICO CITY // Sebastien Ogier extended his slender lead in the Rally of Mexico after his French compatriot and Citroen teammate Sebastien Loeb suffered gearbox problems. ...

Loeb claims fifth Rally of Mexico victory

Sun, 06 Mar 2011 18:48:52 GMT

Reigning world champion Sebastien Loeb of France won the Rally of Mexico for the fifth time on Sunday, as overnight leader Sebastien Ogier crashed out.

The Citroen Racing DS3 driver finished ahead of Finnish pair Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala to notch up the 63rd victory of his career.

It is the first victory this season for the seven-time world champion who finished a disappointing sixth in the season-opening Rally of Sweden, and his first triumph in Citroen's new DS3 car.

Ogier leads Rally of Mexico

Sat, 05 Mar 2011 20:28:58 GMT

France's Sebastien Ogier led the rally of Mexico after the first day's drive on Friday, but compatriot and Citroen teammate Sebastien Loeb was just 2.3 seconds back.

The two battled it out throughout the day, with the lead changing hands on several occasions before Ogier took special stages six and seven to take command from the reigning world champion.

Sweden's Mikko Hirvonen, who won his home rally to kick-off the world championship season last month was in third place, but at 1:22.2 behind the leader, he was already playing catchup.

Super-charged Andersson leads Swedish rally

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 20:48:24 GMT

Swedish driver PG Andersson, behind the wheel of a Ford Fiesta, clocked the best time in the opening super-stage at the Rally of Sweden on Thursday, the season's opening world championship event.

Andersson mastered the snowy conditions inside the Karlstad hippodrome while Sebastien Loeb, the seven-time champion, was back in fifth in in his Citroen.

"I didn't want to take any risks," said Frenchman Loeb, the defending champion, who won the Swedish race in 2004 as well as the Rally of Norway two years ago.

Rally champ Loeb set for icy Swedish opener

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 12:25:38 GMT

The World Rally Championship 2011 season starts in Karlstad in central Sweden on Thursday and defending champion Sebastien Loeb is taking nothing for granted in the wintry conditions.