Eight-time World Champion Sebastien Loeb has announced his retirement from the World Rally Championship today at the Paris Motor Show; the Frenchman dropped the bomb after having contested the championship for more than a decade.
Loeb is the most successful driver the World Rally Championship has ever witnessed, with a record-breaking eight championships (possibly soon to be nine), 74 event wins, 866 stage wins, 111 podiums and 1500 points – all records are provisional as Loeb is still taking part in the 2012 championship.
Loeb will remain with Citroen for 2013 in a partial racing programme, and will only participate in selected events such as the prestigious Monte Carlo Rally.