Volkswagen Driver Walks Away With WRC Title

The World Rally Championship has its first new champion in nearly a decade – and wouldn’t you know it, this one’s called Sebastien too. Taking over the mantle from unbeatable Frenchman Sebastien Loeb is his fellow countryman Sebastien Ogier, driving for VW rather than Loeb’s dominating Citroen World Rally Team.

How did Ogier manage to beat Loeb to the 2013 WRC title?

Loeb chose to compete in ‘selected events’ in 2013, opting to race in the Monte Carlo, Sweden and Argentina and France events. He finished first, second, first and seventh respectively. Meanwhile, as Loeb was trying his hand at GT3 racing in a McLaren MP4-12C and readying his WTCC challenge, Ogier romped to victory with almost three full events remaining. VW is leading the constructors’ title race and is odds-on favourite to take the title – the first rookie manufacturer ever to do so.

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DieselRules - 10/8/2013 1:00:56 AM

+1 Boost

Audi TDI in 24 Hours of Le Mans :: a few years to podium, a few more to domination
VW TDI in Dakar :: a couple years to podium, then domination
VW in WRC :: Zero to domination in one season! (absolutely unheard of)
What's next?
VW is arguably the world's dominant performance automotive manufacturer:
Audi (R8, Le Mans), Bentley, Bugatti (Veyron is officially the world's fastest production car), Lambourghini, Porsche, VW (Dakar, WRC).
Even the huge, 4700 pound, Audi S8 sedan can out-run a Corvette Z-06 by a significant margin.
Seriously, what's their next target?