This season, 25-year-old Frenchman Pierre-Louis Loubet switched from Hyundai’s second team, over to the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team and he will drive seven FIA World Rally Championship rounds in the new Ford Puma Rally1 hybrid machine.
Although the French driver did not get any points from his team debut in Rally Croatia, after having to restart the rally due to three punctures, he had an exceptional comeback on Saturday where he scored his first top-three stage time in the career.
Now he feels that he is on the right track. In the last two seasons Loubet drove in the Hyundai’s 2C Competition team with his last rally being at the Acropolis Rally in Greece in September. Unfortunately a road accident in the French capital of Paris made him to withdraw from the season remainder due to his injury.
Credit: Jaanus Ree / Red Bull Content Pool
In an interview with DirtFish.com, Loubet has pointed out the Hyundai i20 Coupé WRC car he used at 2C is nowhere near the back then factory cars. Throughout the two seasons for the team, he only managed to score a few points.
“I am happy that after two years where I struggled so hard, it’s good to have the feeling back and after seven months at home with my issue it’s good to feel comfortable.” Loubet told DirtFish.com.
“Everybody knows my Hyundai car was not a factory one. In WRC it’s something I understand now; if you don’t have everything you can’t compete.”
“Last year I was sometimes two seconds per kilometer behind and I didn’t know why. I was pushing and this year I didn’t push more. Honestly, I’m not just saying that. I didn’t push more. But it’s not the fault of the team [2C], it’s like that. Now we are in a good situation and I am very lucky with what I have and I have a nice package to finally start my WRC career.”
Credit: Jaanus Ree / Red Bull Content Pool
For the upcoming Rally de Portugal on 19-22 May, M-Sport will field five Puma Rally1 cars with Loubet being one of the five drivers.
“Everyone said here you need to drive the car. But if the car feels great, OK, to find the last thing like the top guys doing now you need to drive the car. But if your car is strong normally you can have the feeling immediately. We have a good road position [11th] and I always felt good there so I hope we will be able to do some good things.”