World champion to fight for Germany glory

Sebastien Loeb will be in fighting mode when the FIA World Rally Championship resumes on ADAC Rallye Deutschland from 23-26 August.

Loeb, from France, has won the Trier-based round an unprecedented eight times. In fact, no other driver had tasted outright success on the asphalt event since it achieved WRC status in 2002 until a puncture for Loeb handed his former Citroen team-mate Sebastien Ogier victory in 2011.

Despite holding a 43-point advantage in his bid for world title number nine this season, Loeb plans to “fight” for victory in Germany.

“For sure I have had a lot of success in Germany,” said Loeb. “Last year I didn’t win, but it’s a rally where the feeling is always good. I hope to fight there, but you never know. Sometimes it has been a really intense battle and the weather can make it very difficult. I will try my best over there.”

Loeb made it six WRC wins in 2012 with victory on Neste Oil Rally Finland following a close battle with fellow factory Citroen driver Mikko Hirvonen. The Finn has his own designs on success in Germany.

“I am actually really waiting for that rally,” said Hirvonen. “I’m happy to have my first rally with Citroen there and I believe I’m going to be stronger with Citroen than I was with Fiesta on Tarmac. We have done the test for Germany and we are ready for it because it’s really good what we achieved.”

ADAC Rallye Deutschland features 15 stages over a competitive distance of 368.63 kilometres.