LOEB SHOCKS THE WRC BY SIGNING WITH HYUNDAI

WHERE: ALZENAU WHEN: DECEMBER 13 The sight of Sebastien Loeb driving anything not made by the PSA Group (Citroen and Peugeot) is akin to seeing pigs fly or riding a unicorn, but the impossible became the happening last week when the French nine-time World Rally champion confirmed he would sign for Hyundai for a six-round slate in 2019.

Peugeot pulling out of Dakar and World Rallycross lightened Loeb’s load for 2019, and then Abu Dhabi pulling its backing of the third Citroen C3 he had driven in 2018 cleared it completely.

The competitive juices are not done flowing as he steers just his third make of car in his rally career, with a couple of outings in a Renault Megane and a partschedule in a Toyota Corolla coming before he was established in the WRC with Citroen.

Judging by this year, he’ll be tough to beat in what looks like an i20 stronger than the C3.