Battle of the world champions
They share 13 world championships between them and, heading into the final, four Champion of Champions titles. Now Vettel and Loeb faced off in the four-heat climax of a great weekend of ice racing. Loeb took a closely fought 1-0 lead in the Polaris racers, but Vettel gave his all to hit back in heat two. After the first lap just 0.2s separated the pair in the Supercar Lites, but then Loeb stretched away to extend his overall advantage.
At 2-0, the rally legend needed just one more win in the third heat to claim his fourth RoC title, and when Vettel side-swiped a snow bank and ran up on two wheels it looked in the bag for the Frenchman – only for him to make a rare mistake and spin. There was a wry smile on Loeb’s face as trailed home far behind Vettel at the finish.
So 2-1 it was, which allowed Vettel a shot at equalling the score in the Polaris racers. He was ahead at the half-way mark by 0.7s, but could do nothing to stop the magnificent Loeb who shot off the crossover bridge to win a tight heat and seal a 3-1 victory, Séb joining Auriol – who also competed last weekend – as the event’s most successful driver.
“You were too fast!” said a laughing Vettel as he greeted the winner. “For sure, it completes a good start to my season,” said Loeb is his usual understated manner. “Second on the Dakar Rally, a win on the Monte Carlo and victory here at the Race of Champions! I’m really happy. I had a good feeling this weekend that I could find my rhythm. A nice show in the third round of the final when I completely lost control of the car, and it’s great to equal Didier’s record.”
“The conditions were tricky and getting more and more slippery,” said Vettel who seemed to be in his element on the ice. “At the end I thought I had a good run, but he deserved to win. In these conditions I have a bit of catching up to do, but it was great to be out here and I really enjoyed it.
“I don’t know how the people stand the conditions out in the cold,” he added, acknowledging the hardy, enthusiastic crowd that came out to cheer on racing’s heroes. “But I hope we come back to Sweden again.”