There's no denying the fact Sebastien Loeb is an absolute master of the black art that is rallying. And this weekend in Germany, the Citroen-driving French legend is set to add some more records to his already impressive list.
If Loeb and co-driver Daniel Elena can put their factory-backed Citroen DS3 over the line first in Rally Deutschland, they will extend their unbeaten run of seven wins. This is the longest series of consecutive wins by any one brand and represents a major coup for Citroen.
Germany seems to be a favourite for the pairing - no one else has set foot on the top step of the podium, with eight wins on the challenging tarmac round. But this is the first time on the black stuff for the new DS3, so the unprecedented winning streak will either push out to an even wider margin or leave the already impressive seven-up record lying the in the gravel.
"Some tarmac at last," says Loeb. "I know that everybody will be gunning for me in Germany. We've never been beaten on these roads but the series will come to an end one day. It's up to us to make sure it doesn't! None of the sectors is alike. There are three very distinct parts with the military camp, the vines and the country roads.
"Generally speaking, the stages are very quick and demanding. We're up against a real challenge. It's vital to have good notes and to be in perfect synchronisation with your co-driver to win."
