Nine-times FIA World Rally Champion (WRC) Sebastien Loeb started out his path in rallying with fellow Frenchman Dominique Heintz. Heintz and Loeb, in fact, participated in a single rally together in 1997 with Heintz reading the pacenotes for a young Loeb. Heintz also prepared Loeb’s Peugeot 106 Rallye and Citroen Saxo Kit Car that put him onto his journey to becoming 2001 Junior World Rally Champion.
Heintz and Loeb continued their association and friendship after Loeb was signed up with Citroen for the factory WRC team, and Loeb competed in a number of Heintz’s rally and race cars since. Heintz is now best known as the “H” of PH Sport with Bernard Piallat as business partner.
Loeb, who currently contests the 2020 WRC with Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team in an i20 Coupe WRC, would like to play a similar part in the next star of the sport through Sebastien Loeb Racing. He and Heintz are partners in this already successful business venture with wins in circuit racing, off-road events and rallying.
Sebastien Loeb Racing is aiming to compete in the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) in the top-flight ERC1 category for Rally2 (formerly R5) cars. In 2019, this outfit helped guide Belgian driver William Wagner to fourth place in the French Rally Championship and a victory at the prestigious Trophée Michelin.
Jean-Philippe Nicolao, Technical Manager, explained: “We have a team of highly experienced personnel and the facilities to provide a very professional service to customer drivers. We have followed the ERC in recent years and it’s a championship we would like to be a part of with good events and good competition.”
Source: Motorsport Week