Citroen Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team Principal Yves Matton has confirmed that Sébastien Loeb will not take part in the opening round of the 2018 FIA World Rally Championship.
Loeb, who has tested the teams Citroen C3 WRC on numerous occasions throughout 2017, had rumoured to be competing for the team on round of the 2018 season, Rally Monte Carlo, but Matton has admitted this will not happen due to the Frenchman’s Dakar Rally commitments.
The Citroen team principal said after this weekend’s Rally Mexico: “As regards the drivers, we will shortly announce our plans. It’ll be a matter of weeks, since preparations for the Rallye Monte-Carlo will begin in December.”
“One thing I can confirm is that Sébastien Loeb will not be taking part in the opening round of the season. The fact that Monte starts just days after the Dakar Rally ends means that he wouldn’t be able to do himself justice.”
Loeb won nine world championships for Citroen in twelve years and became the championships most successful driver in its history after taking 78 wins and had been drafted in to try and help the team this year to help with the development of the new-for-2017 C3 after a poor start to the season.
