Editing Sébastien Loeb (section)

====2006====
[[File:Citroën Xsara WRC05.JPG|thumb|left|Loeb at the [[2006 Rally Japan]]]]
Citroën's parent company, [[PSA Peugeot Citroën]], pulled both manufacturers out of the WRC at the end of 2005, but Citroën planned to return in 2007 with the [[Citroën C4#C4 in rallying|C4 WRC]], and developed the car during 2006. Loeb was closely involved with this as he was guaranteed the leading role in the team at the comeback. In the meantime, a 'gap year' beckoned in the privateer ranks, namely with Citroën-sponsored [[Kronos Racing]] entered as the [[Kronos Total Citroën World Rally Team]].

In order to score on the first round in [[2006 Monte Carlo Rally|Monte Carlo]], Loeb was initially forced to activate the SupeRally rules for retiring competitors, having spun off the road on day one. Although he did manage to fight his way back to second place, it was the first time he had ever been beaten to the finish (namely by fellow double world champion [[Marcus Grönholm]]) on these roads in the Xsara WRC. This outcome was mirrored on the following month's [[2006 Swedish Rally|Swedish Rally]], with Grönholm again the man to whom Loeb was forced to give best, placing the duo in an early runaway 1–2 position in the points standings.

[[File:Loeb.jpg|thumb|Loeb on a road section during the [[2006 Rally Finland]]]]
But the Frenchman's bridesmaid status was not to last, and racking up a triumph on the ensuing [[2006 Rally Mexico|Rally Mexico]]&nbsp;– the first of five on the trot that season&nbsp;– propelled him into a championship lead he was never to lose. He tied [[Carlos Sainz Sr.|Carlos Sainz]]'s record number of 26 individual rally victories in August with a fifth consecutive victory in Germany. With his subsequent victory in [[Rally Japan|Japan]], the world record of 27 victories and counting eventually became his. His victory in [[Cyprus Rally|Cyprus]] put him on the verge of a third consecutive World Rally Championship title.

Shortly after, Loeb broke his right [[humerus]] in a mountain-biking accident near his home in Switzerland, causing him to miss the last four rallies of the season ([[Rally of Turkey|Turkey]], [[Rally Australia|Australia]], [[Rally New Zealand|New Zealand]] and [[Wales Rally GB|Wales]]). In spite of this, Loeb had accumulated such a huge point lead before Turkey that [[Marcus Grönholm]]'s failure to finish third or better in Australia handed Loeb the 2006 championship crown by one point. He received the news at home via an Internet video link to the rally HQ. Due to the time difference, he made do with early morning coffee instead of the customary champagne, calling the whole experience "strange".

In 2022, on the WRC Backstories Podcast with Becs Williams, Loeb revealed that he even considered to co-drive for [[Colin McRae]] for the rest of the season due to the injury. As co-drivers themselves scored points, Loeb could have possibly scored points for himself as a driver to try and win the title. The plan never came to fruition though as Grönholm's crash meant Loeb won the title anyway.<ref>{{Cite web |title=WRC Backstories: Sébastien Loeb |url=https://www.wrc.com/en/news/2022/wrc/wrc-backstories-seb-loeb/ |access-date=2022-05-16 |website=WRC - World Rally Championship |language=en}}</ref>