Pierre-Louis Loubet gets full-time WRC drive with Ford
16th December 2022Pierre-Louis Loubet will get a full-time WRC drive with M-Sport Ford next season, with their Ford puma Rally1 car, as he will compete in all 13 rounds.
Loubet has been given a full-time drive after a good season with the team in 2022 and becomes the second driver to be named in M-Sport Ford’s driver line-up for the 2023 season, alongside former Hyundai driver, Ott Tanak.
In his full-time drive, the French driver will be partnered up alongside, new co-driver, Nicolas Gilsoul, who previously worked alongside Hyundai’s new leading driver (following Tanak’s departure), Thierry Neuville.
In a statement, released by M-Sport Ford, Loubet said:
“It’s a dream come true for me, something that I have been dreaming about since I was a kid. To do my first full season, and to do the main passion in my life every weekend is something truly fantastic.
“The full season takes off a lot of pressure because I know that I have 13 events to give me chance to show all my potential, and gives me the space to grow and learn.
“In 2023, my most important goal will be to finish every event, to gain experience and learn to know where we can push and go for maximum speed.
“To be an official driver and scoring manufacturer points for M-Sport is something I have always wanted, I am so pleased that M-Sport is believing in me like this.
“A huge thank you to Malcolm and Rich who have done fantastic work for me. I’m so pleased to be working with M-Sport again, and to work alongside Ott as teammates is something very special.”
The decision to give the Frenchman a full-time drive comes from Loubet’s good performance across the 2022 season as Loubet impressed the team with a handful of stage wins in his part-time run across the season.
M-Sport Team Principle, Richard Millener said:
“We have all been impressed with Pierre’s performances this year. He has continuously shown his willingness to learn from and surpass previous experiences and this is what makes him the perfect candidate for a full season.
“He is, of course, still early on in his Rally1 career, and this upcoming season will be pivotal for him.
“Pierre is a real team player and has quickly become a key member of the M-Sport family, and personally, I’m looking forward to seeing what we will achieve together next year; I sincerely hope we see him claim a very well-deserved first podium result.”
Loubet and his new co-driver have already had some time in the car together, where they competed on a national rally – in France – and ran as high as second-place before they succumbed to mechanical failures.
That’s all for the article; Pierre-Louis Loubet gets full-time WRC drive with Ford!
What do you think of Loubet’s full-time drive? Let us know in the comments!
Read more WRC here:
- Ott Tanak signs with M-Sport Ford for WRC 2023
- WRC’s Central Europe Rally looks to be an interesting concept
- WRC reveal 2023 calendar; returning venues and a new innovation
- WRC Rally Japan: Neuville tops rally to hinder Toyota’s chances
- WRC Rally Japan: Evans leads as Sordo sees fiery exit
- WRC Rally Japan: Sordo’s blazing car brings SS2 to a stop
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