After winning nine consecutive World Rally Championship titles since 2004, Sebastien Loeb’s reign in the World Rally Championship has finally come to an end. Also a Frenchman, Sebastien Ogier is set to be crowned the 2013 Driver’s Champion after both his and co-driver Julien Ingrassia’s impressive performance in the Rally France recently.
By clinching the win, this is his seventh win for the 2013 season. Ogier expresses his gratitude to the exceptional performance of his 2013 Volkswagen Polo R WRC, which is also a notable win as this was Volkswagen’s debut season in WRC. Ogier also salutes Loeb, who is only competing in a partial season of WRC this year as he explores other form of motorsports.
“I am overjoyed – a weekend full of emotion. This morning I really pushed hard on the first stage, and that paid off”, said Ogier at the end of the Rally France.
With only two rounds to go, Ogier’s 75-point lead in the Drivers’ Championship means that he cannot be beaten. The one closest to him is Qatar World Rally Team’s Thierry Neuville, followed by Ogier’s VW comrade Jari-Matti Latvala. As a note, the title is yet to be officially confirmed by the FIA for the time being.
Based on the subcompact VW Polo, the small city car was given a total makeover with WRC trim that includes a custom aerokit with widened fenders. Under the hood sits a WRC-spec turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 300-horsepower.
