Editing Sébastien Loeb (section)

====2002–03====
[[File:Citroën WRT testing in Finland in 2002 07.jpg|thumb|Loeb during Citroën's testing in Finland in May 2002]]
The [[2002 World Rally Championship season|2002 season]] was Loeb's first as a WRC driver with the [[Citroën Total World Rally Team]], although the team only participated in seven rounds in the build-up to their full entry the following year. Loeb started the season by provisionally winning the [[Monte Carlo Rally]], after racing under appeal due to a two-minute time penalty incurred by an illegal tyre change during the second day. Citroën considered the penalty too severe but later withdrew the appeal, and [[Subaru World Rally Team|Subaru]]'s [[Tommi Mäkinen]] then took a record fourth consecutive Monte Carlo win. Loeb later took his maiden victory at the [[Rallye Deutschland]] in Germany, edging out Peugeot's [[Richard Burns]].

In [[2003 World Rally Championship season|2003]], his first full season in the championship, Loeb won three WRC events, Monte Carlo, Germany and Sanremo, before losing to [[Petter Solberg]] in the [[Wales Rally Great Britain]], also losing the championship to him by just one point. Loeb was asked by his team not to chase Solberg at all costs so that he didn't jeopardise Citroën's lead in the constructors' championship. Loeb's reputation grew as he defeated his more illustrious teammates&nbsp;– [[Carlos Sainz Sr.|Carlos Sainz]] and [[Colin McRae]]&nbsp;– over the course of the season.