Loeb Slams Gravel-Tire Idea for Cyprus

Sebastien Loeb is not very enthused with the idea of driving his car in the opening stages of the upcoming Cyprus Rally on gravel tires – being that those stages will be run on asphalt. The reigning world champion insisted the measure doesn't make any sense, despite the fact it was aimed at reducing the costs for the WRC teams during the 3rd event of the season.

Cyprus Rally will make its return into the WRC calendar in mid-March and will become the first rally in the WRC's modern era to be ran on mixed surface schedule. However, all teams are planning to use gravel tires in the first day of the rally (that features asphalt stages) in an effort to save money. For that to work, they are planning to change to a new set of tires every 3 stages.

However, both Loeb and teammate Dani Sordo have warned that, due to the potential warm weather in Cyprus, the tires may wear out as soon as the end of Stage 1. Therefore, the rally organizers are urged to allow the WRC teams to change the tires after the first stage on Friday.

“I think it's possible we will have worn the tyres out on the first stage. That first stage is 30 kilometers, and it can be hot in Cyprus at this time. I think it makes sense for the organisers to allow us to change the tyre after that first stage, then we will have some tyre left for the next two stages. Otherwise, it's tough,” argued Sordo.

The Spaniard has done a Cyprus-Rally-simulation on the asphalt roads near Alicante, Spain, earlier this year, driving his Citroen C4 WRC on Pirelli Scorpion gravel tires.

Loeb doesn't see the point in the WRC teams using the wrong tires throughout the first day, as he admitted “for me, it doesn't make sense.Why not just use the right tyre?” The measure was apparently implemented by the FIA following a request from the WRC manufacturers prior to the Cyprus event.