Loeb's de-liveried Hyundai rally car has made this dog's day

This was going to be a story focused entirely on just how damn cool Hyundai’s i20 WRC car looks, sans livery, testing ahead of the Monte Carlo Rally.

Not just any i20 WRC car, but that of Sebastien Loeb. As the record-smashing winner of nine consecutive World Rally titles, he ought to need little introduction. Good job, given we’ve become rather transfixed with the dog that appears to be having the time of its life watching rallying’s grand master get to grips with his new company car.

Look! He (or she) always has eyes locked on Loeb, and appears to be delighted with the Frenchman’s choice of line.

This will be the first WRC season where Loeb won’t be wearing Citroen colours, the driver having switched to Hyundai to compete in six of the 2019 season’s 14 rounds, starting with Monte Carlo this week.

Its illustrious history makes it iconic enough for most drivers, but for Loeb and his co-driver Daniel Elena it’s a home rally. “This year will be a particularly special one with a new team and a new car,” says Loeb. “We won’t have had a lot of testing time ahead of the rally, and there are lots of tough, new stages for me, but I am very motivated.”

Indeed, watch the committed yet precise driving in the video behind the pictures above and you’ll see just how motivated Loeb is. His i20 will naturally look more spectacular liveried up and shimmying past much larger crowds at the Monte this weekend, but will it look as nonchalantly cool as it does testing in plain white? We doubt it. And so does the dog.