{"id":38915,"date":"2019-07-10T22:14:46","date_gmt":"2019-07-10T20:14:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dev-sebastienloeb.charlottejourdain.fr\/?page_id=38915"},"modified":"2019-07-16T17:30:10","modified_gmt":"2019-07-16T15:30:10","slug":"biography","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.sebastienloeb.com\/en\/biography\/","title":{"rendered":"Biography"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22.7″ custom_margin=”||” custom_margin_tablet=”-35px|||” custom_margin_phone=”-35px||” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|tablet” custom_padding=”0px||0px||true” animation_style=”fade” animation_duration=”1200ms” animation_delay=”300ms” locked=”off”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,1_3,1_3″ use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”1″ custom_padding=”0px||0px” make_equal=”on” module_class=” et_pb_row_fullwidth” _builder_version=”3.25.4″ width=”100%” width_tablet=”100%” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” max_width=”100%” max_width_tablet=”100%” max_width_last_edited=”on|desktop” make_fullwidth=”on”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ module_class=”col1″ _builder_version=”3.25.4″ background_image=”http:\/\/www.sebastienloeb.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Photo-gauche.jpeg” custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding_tablet=”||” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” _builder_version=”3.25.4″ height=”300px”][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ module_class=”col2″ _builder_version=”3.25.4″ background_image=”http:\/\/www.sebastienloeb.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Photo-milieu.jpeg” custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” _builder_version=”3.19.17″ height=”300px”][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ module_class=”col3″ _builder_version=”3.25.4″ background_image=”http:\/\/www.sebastienloeb.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Photo-droite.jpeg” custom_padding=”|||5px” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” _builder_version=”3.19.17″ height=”300px”][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22.7″ background_color=”#e5e5e5″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.25.4″ text_font=”Raleway|700|||||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ text_font_size=”18px” header_font=”Fjalla One|||on|||||” header_text_align=”center” header_text_color=”#000000″ header_font_size=”80px” text_orientation=”center” animation_style=”zoom” animation_duration=”1250ms” animation_delay=”300ms” animation_intensity_zoom=”30%” header_font_size_tablet=”70px” header_font_size_phone=”60px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone”]<\/p>\n

Biography<\/h1>\n

Slices of life, S\u00e9bastien Loeb\u2019s career[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22.7″ background_color=”#000000″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.25.4″ text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” text_font_size=”16px” header_font=”||||||||” header_3_font=”Fira Sans Condensed|800|||||||” header_3_text_color=”#e6301f” header_3_font_size=”30px” width=”80%” width_tablet=”100%” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” module_alignment=”center”]<\/p>\n

Childhood<\/h3>\n

S\u00e9bastien has been a sportsman at heart from the earliest days. Following his father\u2019s steps – a former gymnast champion – S\u00e9bastien started practising gymnastics only aged 3. He quickly entered competition and, in a matter of 12 years, forged himself a solid track record: four-time Alsatian champion, once champion of the French Grand East, and fifth in the French championship.<\/p>\n

\"S\u00e9bastienSimultaneously, he did not miss an opportunity to \u2018race\u2019: always on a tricycle, bike or a rented mini-motorcycle during holiday times\u2026 The only place he wants to be is at the front.
\nHonouring his parent-teachers, S\u00e9bastien followed an exemplary education until he got sidetracked by his passion; running into teenager\u2019s competitions with his moped every week. \u2018The Roundabout\u2019s Special\u2019, \u2018Vines Grand Prix\u2019\u2026 S\u00e9bastien and his school-mates made up with some daring challenges – to the delight of their right wrist and the misfortune of the residents! S\u00e9bastien also took part in some official cyclo-cross competitions where he stands out. His competitive spirit shows up. [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22.7″ background_color=”#e5e5e5″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.25.4″ text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ text_font_size=”16px” header_font=”||||||||” header_3_font=”Fira Sans Condensed|800|||||||” header_3_text_color=”#e6301f” header_3_font_size=”30px” width=”80%” width_tablet=”100%” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” module_alignment=”center”]<\/p>\n

First laps<\/h3>\n

Sebastian left high school. He wanted something concrete and found it when he graduated as a construction electrician. As soon as he starts working, his entire income gets absorbed by the object of his dreams: a Renault 5 GT Turbo. Rubber tires died after 2,500 km and his driving license is more often found at the station than in his pocket!<\/p>\n

\"S\u00e9bastienHis piloting apprenticeship began and soon revealed innate qualities. S\u00e9bastien tortured some GTIs before reading about the French \u2018Rallye Jeune\u2019 organisation which aims to reveal young talents. Aged 21, S\u00e9bastien scraped together to get by the 100 FR needed for registration. He won the regional selection and then the final of Castellet, but his closest competitor – Nicolas Bernardi – is handed the victory. S\u00e9bastien failed again in 1996\u2019s finals. No matter: he is confident in his speed and abilities, only finances are missing to get started.[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22.7″ background_color=”#000000″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.25.4″ text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” text_font_size=”16px” header_font=”||||||||” header_3_font=”Fira Sans Condensed|800|||||||” header_3_text_color=”#e6301f” header_3_font_size=”30px” width=”80%” width_tablet=”100%” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” module_alignment=”center”]<\/p>\n

University of rallye<\/h3>\n

Together with R\u00e9mi Mammosser and Dominique Heintz, the young man’s drive and motivation did not go unnoticed. Passionate drivers, Dominique and R\u00e9mi welcome S\u00e9bastien to their team “Ambition Sport Auto” with a precise goal: give a leg up to the bright pilot. A crucial encounter\u2026 <\/p>\n

\"S\u00e9bastien1997 – Ambition Sport Auto seeks funding and finds a car. Dominique calls Sebastian: “You will take part in a regional race in fifteen days and I will be your co-pilot”. A new duo is born! First rally, first victory. “Either he is crazy or he is a genius” says Dominique who leaves his position as co-driver, allowing Sebastian to scare a new co-pilot.
\nS\u00e9bastien wins four races in the “1300” category of Ambition Sport Auto\u2019s one-off regional level with a 106 model, before jumping two levels up and competing in the “1600” category where he excelled. These six races led to him being named “Best Hope of the Year” by the French magazine Echappement.
\nSame season, the end of the C\u00e9vennes rally gives shape to a new duo: Loeb-Elena.
\n1998 – Ambition Sport Auto tackled the Saxo Kit Car Trophy. S\u00e9bastien wins all the events he finishes, but the lesson is painful: two cars destroyed and further deteriorating finances.
\nS\u00e9bastien won the trophy with flying colours in 1999. Still an amateur, he impresses observers but specifically his competitors … Therefore, French Federation of Automobile Sport FFSA offers S\u00e9bastien Loeb a seat in the national team where he gets to know the international competition over three rallies. S\u00e9bastien departs in Rally Catalunya, but wins his category in Corsica and San-Remo.
\nEarly 2000, despite short finances, Ambition Sport Auto hires S\u00e9bastien for a France Championship on dirt roads with a Saxo Kit Car rented for the occasion. Appraisal: victory in a two-wheel-drive model, and especially, entrance of Citro\u00ebn who finances the second event, only to get closer to the acclaimed driver. New victory and a big step forward: two patrons of the rally, Jean-Pierre Champeau and Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Schmitt, along with Citro\u00ebn, take over the rest of the programme. S\u00e9bastien becomes French Champion.[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22.7″ background_color=”#e5e5e5″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.25.4″ text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ text_font_size=”16px” header_font=”||||||||” header_3_font=”Fira Sans Condensed|800|||||||” header_3_text_color=”#e6301f” header_3_font_size=”30px” width=”80%” width_tablet=”100%” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” module_alignment=”center”]<\/p>\n

A taste of WRC<\/h3>\n

S\u00e9bastien tries a WRC (Seat model) for the first time after the Rally of Catalunya 1999 for Echappement magazine. In just a few laps, he catches up with the licensed driver.<\/p>\n

\"S\u00e9bastienThanks to Didier Auriol\u2019s sponsorship, FFSA offers S\u00e9bastien two international competitions in 2000: San-Remo and Corsica, driving a Corolla WRC. He finishes among the top 10 in both events. Competitors will soon have to face the truth, a serious WRC candidate is right on the doorstep.
\nS\u00e9bastien seals his future during the Rallye du Var 2000. Guy Fr\u00e9quelin, who seriously followed the conquest of the dirt roads championship title, hands a Xsara Kit Car to S\u00e9bastien. “A star is born” said Fr\u00e9quelin after S\u00e9bastien won the Var hands down. Later that day, Fr\u00e9quelin offered him an official contract to run the France Championship. This is it: S\u00e9bastien is now a professional pilot. [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22.7″ background_color=”#000000″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.25.4″ text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” text_font_size=”16px” header_font=”||||||||” header_3_font=”Fira Sans Condensed|800|||||||” header_3_text_color=”#e6301f” header_3_font_size=”30px” width=”80%” width_tablet=”100%” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” module_alignment=”center”]<\/p>\n

An impressive ascent<\/h3>\n

Pillar of the Citro\u00ebn team, S\u00e9bastien does not get bored. 2001 is busy: the French Rally Championship in a Xsara and the Super 1600 in Saxo. The Loeb-Elena duo wins both, scoring five victories in the five Super 1600 competitions.
\nGuy Fr\u00e9quelin still pushes his talented driver and S\u00e9bastien goes on with a Xsara WRC for the Sanremo Rallye. He signs off his first scratch times on the international level, threatening the local master himself Gilles Panizzi, before ending second. It is a thunderclap: never has a beginner at this level made such a dramatic entrance in the competition\u2026 <\/p>\n

\"S\u00e9bastienS\u00e9bastien naturally joins the WRC crew for the 2002 season. It is another apprenticeship where he only takes part in seven events. Only losing by forfeit at Monte-Carlo, he wins the Deutschland Rallye with ease, establishing a strong presence.
\n2003 marks his first complete season in the international championship. In the Citro\u00ebn team with Dominique Heintz as an opener, S\u00e9bastien has exceptional teammates Carlos Sainz and Colin McRae. S\u00e9bastien wins three rallies (Monte-Carlo, Deutschland, Sanremo), collects podiums but fails in the conquest of the highest qualification by just one point. No one can tell if S\u00e9bastien could have come back on Petter Solberg at the end of the Wales Rallye Great Britain\u2026 but what a year! For his first full season, he earns the title “Champion of Champions” at the final of the Race of Champions with Citro\u00ebn\u2019s lead in the constructor championship, which won\u2019t be the last as the team Loeb-Elena will lead during over nine years between, 2004 and 2012.[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22.7″ background_color=”#e5e5e5″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.25.4″ text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ text_font_size=”16px” header_font=”||||||||” header_3_font=”Fira Sans Condensed|800|||||||” header_3_text_color=”#e6301f” header_3_font_size=”30px” width=”80%” width_tablet=”100%” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” module_alignment=”center”]<\/p>\n

Second wind<\/h3>\n

Nine times world champion, S\u00e9bastien retires from the discipline in 2013 without electing a candidate for his succession. He starts a successful career change in the circuit racing: first in FIA GT Series then in WTCC in 2014 and 2015 while continuing his collaboration with Citro\u00ebn Racing. This relationship suddenly ends in 2015, after a series of fifteen successful years. He is consequently transferred to Peugeot Sport\u2019s rallye-raid and rallycross programmes.<\/p>\n

\"S\u00e9bastienFrom 2016, S\u00e9bastien takes part in the Dakar Rally and the WRX Rallycross World Championship. That\u2019s three Dakar rallies where he swings between newcomer and expert along with three not highly successful rallycross seasons driving an undeveloped vehicle and his team\u2019s sudden withdrawal in 2018.
\n2018 is S\u00e9bastien\u2019s come back in WRC, taking part in three rallies driving a Citro\u00ebn DS3WRC. He wins the Catalunya Rallye and improves his ultimate WRC record with 79 victories.
\nThe end of his engagement with PSA Group and this last victory give him a taste of come back. He then decides to engage with Hyundai for two years on partial WRC programmes (6 annual races).[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22.7″ background_color=”#000000″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.25.4″ text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” text_font_size=”16px” header_font=”||||||||” header_3_font=”Fira Sans Condensed|800|||||||” header_3_text_color=”#e6301f” header_3_font_size=”30px” width=”80%” width_tablet=”100%” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” module_alignment=”center”]<\/p>\n

2019, a year for new challenges <\/h3>\n

\"S\u00e9bastienAfter a late decision, S\u00e9bastien takes part in the Dakar Rally in January 2019, this time not with Peugeot Sport who left the discipline, but as a private driver. With his lifelong co-pilot Daniel Elena, he achieves one of his best Dakar results with third place on the podium.
\nPeugeot Sport\u2019s withdrawal from rallycross world championship leaves S\u00e9bastien on the sidelines for the 2019 season. On top of this, the Citro\u00ebn Racing team with who he won nine rallycross championships decides to hire only two cars for the season. S\u00e9bastien is unable to achieve as much as during 2018 nor complete his programme.
\nHe signs with Hyundai Motorsport to drive a WRC for the next two years (2019 and 2020). He competes in six rallies in 2019 and Dani Sordo takes the reins for the next eight rallies.
\nResourceful, S\u00e9bastien has launched this new WRC season with a view to the future and the lasting ambition to reach the leading position. After twenty years of experience, S\u00e9bastien finds himself with a new team for the first time. S\u00e9bastien appreciates change as a new lease of life while keeping his distinctive sense of competition. [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Biography Slices of life, S\u00e9bastien Loeb\u2019s careerChildhood S\u00e9bastien has been a sportsman at heart from the earliest days. Following his father\u2019s steps – a former gymnast champion – S\u00e9bastien started practising gymnastics only aged 3. He quickly entered competition and, in a matter of 12 years, forged himself a solid track record: four-time Alsatian champion, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-38915","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sebastienloeb.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/38915","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sebastienloeb.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sebastienloeb.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sebastienloeb.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sebastienloeb.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38915"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.sebastienloeb.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/38915\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39126,"href":"https:\/\/www.sebastienloeb.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/38915\/revisions\/39126"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sebastienloeb.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38915"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}