Loeb, a two-time winner in the FIA World Touring Car Championship, is the WRC’s most successful driver with 78 wins and nine world titles to his name. While his main focus for 2015 is on his second WTCC campaign with Citroën, the French manufacturer has invited him back to the WRC for the traditional season-opener.
However, following pre-event testing, 40-year-old Loeb admitted the switch back to rallying from circuit racing had been far from straightforward.
“On the first day of testing, I had to get back into the swing of things, but it all came back to me pretty quickly,” he said. “The driving style is very different to what I have become used to with the C-Elysée WTCC. With four-wheel drive and normal roads, you have to improvise a lot more. These tests were useful, but it is always difficult to prepare for a Rallye Monte-Carlo. You can’t predict what the conditions will be like on the day.”
Loeb, who will compete in a Citroën DS 3 WRC, said he could not wait for the event to start. “I love the atmosphere and how close we get to our supporters. My aim is to be competitive, but we have to remember that I haven’t driven in a rally at this level for over a year. Every time I start a race, I give it my best shot. It’ll be no different this time and if we can fight for the win, so much the better!”
Round one of the 2015 WTCC season takes place in Argentina from 6-8 March. Loeb’s home event, the WTCC Race of France, will be held at Circuit Paul Ricard from 26-28 June.