Loeb feels the pressure rising for the Rally Mexico

After going off the road in the last WRC event in Sweden, the four-time world champion, Sébastien Loeb, believes he can no longer afford to make mistakes and must do everything possible to close the gap with the man now leading the 2008 championship, Mikko Hirvonen.

Loeb had taken the advantage this season by winning the first event of the year at Monte-Carlo. However, the Frenchman did not bring back any points from the trip to Sweden (2nd rally of 2008) after rolling over on the first day. A new second place finish by Hirvonen was enough to allow the Finn to take the lead in the drivers’ standings, six points ahead of the Frenchman.

A few days before the start of the first gravel rally of the year, Sébastien Loeb, a favorite on gravel, admits that his mistake adds a bit more to his duty to perform well in Mexico.

« When you make a mistake and concede points, it’s normal to feel some pressure at the start of the next race », explains Loeb.

« I think it will be somewhat the case in Mexico, which is not an easy round. We know that the C4 WRC is competitive in Mexico since we won last year. However, I approach this event with caution because we must not let the gap with our opponents grow too much. »

Loeb adds that the altitude of the rally (the highest in the world championship) and the new tires will force him to change his driving style: « The compact earth of the stages offers interesting grip, what will it be like this year with Pirelli tires? » asks the Frenchman…

« And will the removal of the anti-puncture foams lead to more punctures? I must take this into account in my driving, which I am already adjusting accordingly due to the decreased power of our engines at altitude. »