Loeb to return residence after Dakar exit

Dacia has given up hope on nine-time World Rally champion Sebastien Loeb returning to the Dakar Rally following his compelled exit from the occasion.

The FIA had not authorised Loeb to start out the fourth check of 2025 on Wednesday after the roll cage of his Dacia Sandrider was discovered to have been broken in a barrel roll in stage three on Tuesday.

Dacia had subsequently appealed in opposition to the choice in a single day so he could possibly be again in motion later this week and probably rating factors for the World Rally-Raid Championship, the place the Renault group’s model is preventing in opposition to Toyota and Ford on its debut.

Nevertheless, following the top of Stage 4, Dacia’s attraction got here to nothing, and Loeb is because of take a flight residence from Jeddah afterward Wednesday.

“It is actually irritating to return to Jeddah as an alternative of being within the automobile preventing on the market,” he stated in an announcement. 

“Particularly while you see what occurred right now, there was nonetheless a lot to battle for! With an hour and 1 / 4 behind the leaders, there was nonetheless nothing misplaced. I am certain we’d have began a great distance again, however there have been alternatives to take, sadly, that is simply the way in which it’s.”

Loeb suffered a comparatively mid-speed rollover originally of Stage 3, which left him with a hobbled automobile for the rest of the day.

With some help from team-mate Cristina Gutierrez, the Frenchman was in a position to conduct vital repairs and attain the top of the stage, though he had dropped exterior the highest 15 positions within the general standings.

Like Dacia, Loeb did not agree with stewards’ resolution to rule him out of the rest of the occasion on security grounds.

“As for our rollover, I actually don’t have any phrases,” he stated. “It wasn’t as a result of we had been pushing too exhausting, we simply acquired caught by a nasty compression, it was so simple as that. We could not do a lot on the time, it occurs, nevertheless it’s no much less irritating.

“After which the stewards’ resolution yesterday, actually, it is exhausting to swallow. I discover it irritating and disappointing as a result of, for my part, it isn’t primarily based on strong arguments. Security is essential, I perceive that, however the line they’ve drawn right here doesn’t appear acceptable for our self-discipline, the place we compete in excessive situations.

“Our staff offered proof to show that the roll cage was nonetheless strong, and I’ve full confidence in them. Even visually, you possibly can see that security was not compromised, so sure, it is exhausting to just accept.”

Images from Dakar Rally Stage 4