By Greg Vega 
He won his 80th WRC victory Sunday, the eighth in Monte Carlo, but first with a hybrid car (Ford Puma) and a new pilot – Isabel Kalmiche. Prior to this, he won the tournament in 2013.
Loeb equaled the record of victories in Monte Carlo with his compatriot Sebastien O’Groats (Toyota Yaris), with whom he fought a fierce battle this year. In the end, O’Groats finished second, 10.5 seconds behind his old teammate, after a foul in the last minute and a penalty in the final. Irish Craig Breen (Ford Puma) finished third with a loss of 1.30.
“Obviously I’m very happy. I did not expect so much when I got here. The fight was good and the stallion was very quick,” Lope commented.
So far, the senior champion of the World Championship Series is Sweden Bjrn Waldecord, who won the Safari Rally in 1990 at the age of 46 and in five months.
Lope is a nine-time world champion (2004-12). This week he competed in the 2020 WRC Rally. Stallion has eight championship titles. In the previous two seasons.