Loeb Succumbs to Car Failure!

Twenty years after making his Safari Rally debut in 2002 and for his third start of the 2022 WRC season, the nine-time world champion Loeb has returned to M-Sport for the illustrious WRC competition.

After finishing fifth on the first stage of the rally on Thursday, Loeb began off Friday by winning Stage 2. He then finished the morning loop of difficult gravel sections in fifth place overall, 15.9 seconds behind Elfyn Evans, the event’s leader.

The 48-year-hybrid old’s Rally1 Ford Puma, however, cut out after he finished Stage 4, and co-driver Isabelle Galmiche quickly put out a minor fire that had started in the engine compartment.

Loeb used electric power to traverse the road segment back to the service park while the engine was out of commission, but he ran out of battery charge and was forced to stop five kilometres short of the servicing.

According to Loeb, there was no prior indication of the engine problem.

Uncertainty surrounds Loeb’s ability to restart the rally on Saturday.

Two M-Sport athletes retired on Friday, with Loeb’s withdrawal being one of two. Adrien Fourmaux was also forced to leave the rally due to a mechanical failure on Stage 5. After a strong start, the Frenchman had been in eighth place.