Loeb ‘not obsessed’ with winning Dakar after multiple near-misses

Sebastien Loeb says he’s ‘not obsessed’ with successful the Dakar Rally after coming near clinching the highest prize on a number of events.

One of many biggest rally drivers of all time with 9 titles within the World Rally Championship, Loeb has discovered it laborious to emulate the identical success within the cross-country format.

The Frenchman has completed runner-up within the Dakar on three events and set a brand new document of six consecutive stage wins in 2023, however an general trophy has eluded him in eight visits with two completely different producers (Peugeot and Prodrive/BRX).

Having joined Dacia for the 2025 season of the World Rally-Raid Championship, together with its blue riband occasion in Saudi Arabia, the 50-year-old performed down his pursuit of a maiden Dakar victory.

“It isn’t an obsession,” he mentioned. “In the present day it’s my goal. However now I compete in cross-country and on the earth championship, and the Dakar Rally is essentially the most particular of the 12 months, so it’s not an obsession, however it’s my primary goal for the season.”

Loeb might be driving the brand new Dacia Sandrider that he has developed with Prodrive within the forty seventh version of Dakar from 3-17 January.

Qatari star Nasser Al-Attiyah and Loeb’s former Excessive E team-mate Cristina Gutierrez are additionally part of the line-up.

The three-car Dacia staff might be up towards the brand new Ford/M-Sport operation in addition to incumbents Toyota, Mini and Century within the Final class, which includes a complete of 64 entrants.

To arrange for its entry into Dakar, Dacia undertook a rigorous testing programme in 2024, which included a aggressive look in Rally Morocco in October.

Loeb mentioned he’s assured about his prospects for Dakar this 12 months, stating that the motivation is excessive to lastly obtain a protracted overdue victory within the marathon.

“It is at all times tough to say, after all the purpose is to battle for the win, it at all times is,” he added.

“The staff did a great job, and the primary week might be tough, however we’ve executed a great job with the testing, good evolution of the automobile, the sensation is sweet, every thing is heading in the right direction, it is sophisticated, it is tough to place all of it collectively. The motivation is there this 12 months.”