Sebastien Loeb to make traditional stage rallying return 

World Rally Championship legend Sebastien Loeb will jump behind the wheel of WRC machinery in a rare appearance for the French Tarmac Rally Championship this weekend.

The nine-time world champion is making a return to traditional stage rallying having been competing for Dacia in the World Rally-Raid Championship, which he currently heads after three of five rounds.

This weekend the 52-year-old will take a break from rally-raid action to contest Rallye Vosges - Grand-Est, which plays host to the fourth round of the French Tarmac Rally Championship.

His outing is significant as Loeb and co-driver Laurene Godey will compete behind the wheel of a 2017-spec ex-M-Sport-built Ford Fiesta WRC car.

“Back on asphalt,” said Loeb on social media. “Laurene and I are eager to start the Rallye Vosges Grand Est and get back to racing in the French Rally Championship.”

The car is owned by gentleman driver Armando Pereira, who has been competing in the car since 2020.

In its heyday the car was driven by Loeb’s former WRC team-mate and rival Sebastien Ogier, plus current championship leader Elfyn Evans, during the 2018 and 2019 WRC campaigns respectively.

Ogier won at the Tour de Corse in 2018 with the car and took second in Spain en route to his sixth title that year, while Evans drove it at Monte Carlo in 2019.

This weekend will be the first time Loeb has competed in top level WRC machinery since Acropolis Rally Greece in 2022 when he joined M-Sport Ford for four outings - a run which included his 80th career win in Monte Carlo.

Rallye Vosges - Grand-Est will be contested over 12 asphalt stages, comprising 199.6km, with the action due to begin on Saturday and conclude on Sunday.