French legend Loeb returns for Lohéac with Eleven Motorsport

Sébastien Loeb will return to the pinnacle of international rallycross for the first time in more than three years later this summer, when he joins the grid for the penultimate event of the 2026 Euro RX1 campaign on home soil at Lohéac (28-30 August).

Thirteen years on from his sole previous FIA European Rallycross Championship outing – similarly at the Breton circuit – Loeb will rejoin the fray after linking up with Eleven Motorsport, run by 2018 French Rallycross Champion, Antoine Massé in tandem with former Peugeot Sport chief, Nicolas Guéranger.

The team has enjoyed a strong start to 2026, leading the Euro RX4 standings with Andréa Bénézet after the opening two rounds of the season – with stablemate Thomas Quincé close behind in third – while simultaneously fielding a pair of Euro RX5 Cross Cars and supporting former Euro RX Division 2 champion Eddy Bénézet’s return to competition in Euro RX1 at Nyirád.

Loeb’s return has been made possible thanks to the commitment and ambition of the Lohéac event organisers, who have worked alongside Eleven Motorsport to bring one of the sport’s biggest names back to the rallycross grid. He will tackle the event in a Peugeot 208 WRX, adding further star power to what is already well-established as an iconic fixture.

The Haguenau native is a driver whose reputation precedes him. Nine times an FIA World Rally Champion – with no fewer than 80 individual WRC wins to his name – he is statistically the most successful competitor in top-flight rallying history. But his résumé does not stop there.

In evidence of his versatile skillset, he has finished runner-up on the gruelling Dakar Rally on three occasions, reached the overall rostrum in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, lapped impressively quickly during a Formula 1 test with Red Bull Racing and triumphed four times in the Race of Champions.

In 2014 and 2015, he was a multiple race-winner and top three championship-finisher in the FIA World Touring Car Championship, and in 2022, he was crowned champion in electric off-road series Extreme E. He currently leads the standings in the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC). 

Loeb is also, notably, an extremely accomplished rallycross protagonist, having contested three campaigns in World RX in a factory-backed Peugeot 208 WRX from 2016 to 2018 – yielding a brace of victories and 15 further rostrum finishes from 36 starts, marking an almost 50 per cent podium strike rate. In the last of those seasons, he was the only driver to prevent Johan Kristoffersson from taking a clean sweep of event wins. 

The Frenchman made three further appearances in the World Championship in 2023 behind the wheel of a Special ONE Racing-prepared Lancia Delta Evo-e RX, advancing to the final in both Portugal and Norway. His most recent participation in the discipline came in the domestic series at Lohéac later that same year.

“I was beginning to miss rallycross, and Lohéac is invariably a special event that attracts large crowds, so I’m really excited to be able to race there again,” enthuses Loeb. “Rallycross is a tremendously spectacular form of motorsport, and I’ve always enjoyed driving these ultra-powerful cars – they give you such an adrenaline rush! 

“The level of competition in the new-look European Championship this year looks to be really high, and I can’t wait to get back out there, to work with Eleven Motorsport – where I already know quite a few people – and to race in front of so many French fans!” 

Underscoring its credentials, Eleven Motorsport provided and ran the car that 2026 Euro RX1 championship leader Andreas Bakkerud drove in the pre-season World RX balancing tests last year. It can, moreover, count upon the experience and expertise of Guéranger, Project Manager for the 208 WRX during Loeb’s original stint in the series. 

“As rallycross enthusiasts, getting to race at Lohéac is already a highlight in itself, but to do so with Sébastien Loeb in the team will make the weekend even more memorable,” acknowledges Team Principal, Massé. “We are thrilled to be able to reunite Sébastien with the car with which he has achieved nearly all of his rallycross success – the Peugeot 208 WRX.

“As ever, we will approach the event with the aim of putting on a strong performance, while acknowledging the challenge that awaits us in a fiercely-competitive European Championship field.” 

“Having a driver of Sébastien Loeb’s calibre return to the FIA European Rallycross Championship is a hugely significant moment for the sport,” added James Nixon, FIA Category Manager – Off-Road and Hill Climb. “Sébastien is one of the most accomplished drivers in motorsport history, and his decision to compete at Lohéac is a clear reflection of the championship’s growing strength and appeal.

“We continue to work hard to build a competitive and accessible platform for rallycross, and seeing globally-recognised names such as Sébastien returning to the grid is strong validation that those efforts are moving Euro RX in the right direction. His presence will be a major boost for the event, the fans, the drivers and the championship as a whole. Lohéac is one of rallycross’ most iconic venues, making it a fitting stage to welcome him back to the sport.”