Photo: Polaris
Polaris has announced it has joined forces with Sebastien Loeb Racing for a five-year rally-raid program. The powersports company wants to play a leading role in the SSV T4 category, and the 2023 Dakar Rally will mark the beginning of the adventure with the nine-time WRC driver's title champion Sebastien Loeb.
In other words, we will see Loeb's name at the 2023 Dakar Rally with a Polaris entry, which will be managed by the Alsacian athlete's racing team. According to Polaris, the company has been dreaming of such a collaboration for a few years now, and it has now become reality.
Sebastien Loeb Racing, the nine-time WRC driver's champions' team, has over a decade of experience in the competition, and it has a balance of experienced and young drivers to benefit from its knowledge. The team's co-founder, Dominique Heintz, has many years of experience in rally-raid, with the maiden participation in 1986.
Now, Loeb and Heintz have mapped out a competitive structure for motorcyclists who want to join a four-wheel rally-raid program. According to the team, the SSV T4 category is the most appropriate one for those interested in taking this step, and Polaris already had six wins at Dakar, so the partnership was a natural choice in this direction.
The Alsacian team will prepare an entry based on the Polaris RZR Pro R Sport vehicles, which will aim to finish the Dakar Rally in one of the leading positions of the class and the FIA W2RC rankings.
The RZR Pro R is all-new for the 2022 model year, and it comes with the most powerful engine ever offered in a stock side-by-side, with a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter unit that comes with 225 horsepower. The unit has been designed to deliver usable power throughout the entire powerband.
While Sebastien Loeb's team is involved in the race, the driver will be Xavier De Soultrait, who is a motorcycle rider who had eight Dakar Rally starts, and who will make his debut in the SSV category with the Alsacian team.
Sebastien Loeb Racing, the nine-time WRC driver's champions' team, has over a decade of experience in the competition, and it has a balance of experienced and young drivers to benefit from its knowledge. The team's co-founder, Dominique Heintz, has many years of experience in rally-raid, with the maiden participation in 1986.
Now, Loeb and Heintz have mapped out a competitive structure for motorcyclists who want to join a four-wheel rally-raid program. According to the team, the SSV T4 category is the most appropriate one for those interested in taking this step, and Polaris already had six wins at Dakar, so the partnership was a natural choice in this direction.
The Alsacian team will prepare an entry based on the Polaris RZR Pro R Sport vehicles, which will aim to finish the Dakar Rally in one of the leading positions of the class and the FIA W2RC rankings.
The RZR Pro R is all-new for the 2022 model year, and it comes with the most powerful engine ever offered in a stock side-by-side, with a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter unit that comes with 225 horsepower. The unit has been designed to deliver usable power throughout the entire powerband.
While Sebastien Loeb's team is involved in the race, the driver will be Xavier De Soultrait, who is a motorcycle rider who had eight Dakar Rally starts, and who will make his debut in the SSV category with the Alsacian team.
Polaris is proud to announce a 5-year International partnership with Sébastien Loeb Racing Team to develop a rally raid program exclusively with Polaris RZR!
— Polaris RZR (@PolarisRZR) November 15, 2022
First stop: Dakar 2023. pic.twitter.com/FZbUqeT7Wz
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