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From WRC.com
Nine-time world champion Sébastien Loeb will begin preparing for the Monte-Carlo Rally, by tackling the French championship Rallye du Var, this week-end.
Loeb will drive a current spec Citroen DS3 WRC on the all-tarmac event, with wife Séverine as co-driver. His long-time co-driver Daniel Elena will also drive the Var stages, but at the wheel of a road opening DS3 R3T zero car.
Loeb will get a proper Monte test in December, but this will be his first chance to reacquaint himself with the DS3 in competition since last November's Rallye du Condroz-Huy in Belgium - another event he drove with Séverine.
The three-day rally runs until Sunday on roads in the southeast of the country near Saint-Tropez and Toulon.
It is a rally Loeb knows well. He first competed there in 1999 in a Citroen Saxo, and won it the following year in a Xsara Kit Car. He has competed on three occasions with Séverine calling notes, most recently in 2009 when they won in a C4 WRC.
Monte will be a one-off outing for Loeb, who has been drafted-in during the WTCC off-season to help launch Citroen's new DS branding for 2015.
At Wales Rally GB this month, Citroen Racing boss Yves Matton dismissed speculation that Loeb might return to the WRC in a full time role but said he would be happy to help him tackle some rallies for fun.
Nine-time world champion Sébastien Loeb will begin preparing for the Monte-Carlo Rally, by tackling the French championship Rallye du Var, this week-end.
Loeb will drive a current spec Citroen DS3 WRC on the all-tarmac event, with wife Séverine as co-driver. His long-time co-driver Daniel Elena will also drive the Var stages, but at the wheel of a road opening DS3 R3T zero car.
Loeb will get a proper Monte test in December, but this will be his first chance to reacquaint himself with the DS3 in competition since last November's Rallye du Condroz-Huy in Belgium - another event he drove with Séverine.
The three-day rally runs until Sunday on roads in the southeast of the country near Saint-Tropez and Toulon.
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| Citroën DS3 WRC (Photo: WRI2) |
It is a rally Loeb knows well. He first competed there in 1999 in a Citroen Saxo, and won it the following year in a Xsara Kit Car. He has competed on three occasions with Séverine calling notes, most recently in 2009 when they won in a C4 WRC.
Monte will be a one-off outing for Loeb, who has been drafted-in during the WTCC off-season to help launch Citroen's new DS branding for 2015.
At Wales Rally GB this month, Citroen Racing boss Yves Matton dismissed speculation that Loeb might return to the WRC in a full time role but said he would be happy to help him tackle some rallies for fun.