Rally: Loeb wins rally Monte Carlo

SPEEDTV has always been my dear friend. I accepted the faith from back in the Speedvision days! But I miss the good old days. Back then, variety was the spice of life. I could get almost anything from the motorsports menu – drag racing, circuit racing, rallysport – you name it -  Speedvision carried it.

But, unfortunately, that was then. Now, for reasons the directors will hurriedly explain, SPEEDTV’s programs reflect a North American flavor. It is what it is and despite my reluctant acceptance I am grateful.

We all know that the motorsports world at large is in hibernation mode but there is a specific series which welcomes the seasons. SPEEDTV has reduced coverage of this series to almost zero, but truth be told, I did see a few Rounds in the program line-up in December (2012).

I am talking about the World Rally Championship (WRC). In this series there is no such thing as – rain no play. The weather can hurl any and everything in its arsenal and the WRC brigade will embrace them all and through the use of engineering wizardry, horsepower will be transferred to tyres which will protest at first, but bullied by insane ferocity, they will relent and enhance the machine’s ability to blast through the most treacherous terrain at cheetah-like speeds!

The WRC ignores weather related phenomena so the season begins with falling snowflakes in Monte Carlo. Sebastien Loeb is the Michael Schumacher of the WRC. He will leave the sport in 2013, there is simply nothing left for him to accomplish! The man has won the title more times than his competitors will want to remember.

Loeb will leave as champions should – when they are at the top of their game but, to rub salt in the many wounds his rivals have acquired over time, Loeb will compete in a few Rounds in 2013.

So at the season opener – Rally Monte Carlo – what happened? Loeb did the predictable. On stages comparable to a minefield, because of the danger within, Loeb completed the fast but cautious routine and where others stuttered he left a flawless display. So the champion did what champions do – win in style!

One cannot help but wonder if we are seeing the greatest rally driver of the modern era. Watch the boss in action below.

Loeb Testing 2013

Rally Monte Carlo 2013

Cecil Munroe Gleaner On-Line Writer