The easy assumption would be that Pierre-Louis Loubet has plenty to learn from new World Rally Championship team-mate Ott Tänak.
Loubet has never done a full 13-round season in the WRC before while Tänak has won 17 rallies and a world championship.
But Loubet can learn less from Tänak than you might think – and not because he isn’t interested in what his team-mate can teach him but because what he could teach him may not be that relevant.
So that’s why, when asked by DirtFish if he was working closely with Tänak, Loubet said: “No.
“We are quite different in our setting philosophy, we are in a quite different driving philosophy,” he elaborated.
“But I listen a lot to what he’s saying because he’s a great champion and experience is great.
“But yeah we have a different driving philosophy.”
Loubet and Tänak are in a unique position this season as while Toyota and Hyundai both have four drivers contracted for the season – with two of those four sharing a car – M-Sport Ford only has Loubet and Tänak.
It may field a third car on selected rounds of the season, but they’re the only permanent drivers behind the wheel of Puma Rally1s.
Tänak is very clearly M-Sport’s spearhead with Loubet there to support him and gain experience, but Loubet is still confident of some standout results of his own throughout the year.
Just not on next week’s Rally Sweden.
“I think in Sweden you need practice,” said Loubet who completed his one-day pre-event test last weekend.
“We try a good thing but for sure when we come to México even if I do no other rally, I’m sure that on gravel we have the potential now.
“I think we can believe we can do good things. The car is strong and I like the car on gravel so let’s see.”
