Frenchman Sébastien Loeb and his co-driver Daniel Elena put the icing on their season’s cake at the lavish FIA prizegiving last Friday in Elena’s home patch of Monaco.
Loeb and Elena are celebrating their status as the most successful pairing in world rally history after their slender victory in one of the closest-fought battles of recent years saw them overhaul rivals Mikko Hirvonen and his co-driver Jarmo Lehtinen in the Ford Focus WRC in the final rally in Wales by just one point.
The Red Bull Citroën men duly made it into the history books with a sixth consecutive drivers’ crown, and so donned their tuxedos to join other champions of world motorsport, including F1 world champion and Monaco resident Jenson Button, to take their bow at the glitzy FIA event.
'I really want to thank all the team, who have worked very hard to make this happen' – Sébastien Loeb
“I have to admit that this season will remain as one of the most exciting,” Loeb said of a campaign which, at one point, looked like it would be another runaway success until Hirvonen clinched four consecutive wins.
“I am delighted that we have clinched a sixth title in a row,” added the 35-year-old, “and I really want to thank all the team, who have worked very hard to make this happen, especially Dani Sordo and Marc Marti, who have been fantastic team-mates.”
The Citroën team also claimed the constructors’ title for a second year in succession, and it was team principal Olivier Quesnel who picked up the shiny silver trophy.
“We have lived a thrilling season with a happy ending for us,” said Quesnel. “I am very proud of the entire Citroën Racing team.”
The new season begins in Sweden in February, but you can relive Loeb, Elena and Citroën’s final 2009 victory in pictures here.
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