World champion Sebastien Loeb has conceded that he won’t necessarily help Sebastien Ogier win his first drivers’ crown this season, even if that meant ignoring team orders.
Loeb’s comments were aired during an interview for WRC TV. During the session, filmed shortly before the start of Vodafone Rally de Portugal, Loeb admitted he would continue to fight for an eighth title for as long as it was still realistically possible to do so.
Asked by Ogier what he would do if Citroen team chief Olivier Quesnel told him to help his young colleague secure the accolade, Loeb told Ogier: “If you have 50 more points with two races until the end of the championship I’d let you win. If you have two more points, no.”
While Loeb’s response was somewhat tongue in cheek, it provides a fascinating insight into the intra-team rivalry brewing at Citroen. The seven-time title winner also admitted that it wasn’t helpful for the French manufacturer that he and Ogier have already become locked in a battle for supremacy having claimed a victory apiece so far this season.
“For sure it would be easier [if we were in different teams],” Loeb said in response to a question from Ogier. “It would be easier because what happened in Mexico would have been the normal way to do it [when Ogier crashed out fighting Loeb for the lead].
“We have to battle without any team orders, we are fighting each other and we have to defend our own team. We are in the same team when we are fighting both at the front and for sure it’s complicated for everybody to know what to do.”
The French stars voiced a number of other opinions during the interview with Ogier describing Loeb as “the best rally driver ever”, while Loeb said that Ogier was the fastest team-mate he has ever had.
Loeb and Ogier continue their battle for WRC glory on the Jordan Rally next week.