Sébastien
Loeb
France
·
Rally Raid
Date of birth | 26 February 1974 |
|---|---|
Place of birth | Alsace |
Age | 52 |
Nationality | France |
Career start | 1995 |
Disciplines | Rally WRC / Dakar Series |
Rally driving requires unwavering concentration, incredible skill and a very cool head. Thankfully, these are qualities that Sébastien Loeb has in spades, and it is what helped him become one of the most successful drivers in the history of the World Rally Championship.
From budding gymnast to rally driver
Loeb’s sporting prowess was apparent from an early age when he became a four-time Alsatian champion in gymnastics. But in 1995, he quit gymnastics and his job to focus on competitive driving.
In 1998, he contested the French Citroën Saxo Trophy series, winning the title in 1999 before entering the Junior World Rally Championship in 2001. It was there that he made a name for himself thanks to victories in five of the six events.
His first drive in the WRC came in 2002 with the Citroën Total World Rally Team and it would mark the start of a truly remarkable racing career.
WRC dominance
Incredibly, Loeb won nine consecutive WRC titles between 2004 and 2012 before running a reduced schedule until his retirement from the sport in 2022. During his remarkable run in the WRC, the Frenchman made history by securing the most rally wins (80), most podium finishes (120), and the most stage wins (939).
It is not just the records that mark Loeb out as one of the all-time great rally drivers; it was his ability to transition between surfaces, winning repeatedly on tarmac, gravel and snow.
Further success behind the wheel
Even during his time in the WRC, Loeb was always seeking new challenges. In 2006 he finished second at Le Mans 24 Hours and in 2012 won the rallycross finale in his first appearance at the star-studded X Games.
Then in 2015, Loeb turned his hand to a new discipline, taking on the FIA World Touring Car Championship and finishing in third place overall for the season. He also regularly featured in the Race of Champions, winning the individual title on five occasions and taking the team crown twice.
Loeb also turned his expert hand to the World Rallycross Championship, securing numerous podiums and finishing top-five overall in 2016, 2017 and 2018. The Frenchman also finished fourth overall in the FIA GT Series in 2013, competed in two rounds of the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters in 2022 and won the Extreme E title in the same year.
Tackling the legendary Dakar Rally
Further enhancing Loeb’s reputation as one of the all-time great drivers are his performances at the toughest race on the planet, the Dakar Rally. He first entered in 2016, winning four stages and finishing in ninth place overall.
The following year he won five stages as he finished in second overall, a finish he would match in 2022 and 2023. The following year he was pushing for victory before mechanical issues ruined his chances during the penultimate stage. However, he was still able to win five stages and finish in third place overall.
In 2025, he linked up with Dakar champions Nasser Al-Attiyah and Cristina Gutiérrez in the new Dacia Sandriders Team and the following year produced another excellent performance in the Dakar as he finished in fourth place overall.
Still pushing for victories
While his WRC career may be behind him, Loeb continues to excel behind the wheel. Over the last few years he has emerged as a challenger in the World Rally-Raid Championship, finishing second overall in 2022 and ending the 2025 season on a high with victory at Rallye du Maroc.
Now in his fifties, Loeb remains as competitive as ever and continues to build on what has already been an extraordinary career.
Rally legend Sébastien Loeb
© Kin Marcin/Red Bull Content Pool
Sébastien Ogier in action in Japan
© Jaanus Ree/Red Bull Content Pool
Sébastien Loeb gets the lowdown from co-driver Fabian Lurquin
© Kin Marcin/Red Bull Content Pool
Sébastien Loeb chases down leader Carlos Sainz
© Eric Vargiolu/DPPI/Red Bull Content Pool