Is Loeb Motorsports' greatest?

In Engine Block’s “Rumble Strip” this week, we ask: Can WRC driving legend Sebastien Loeb rival Motorsports' greatest?

Fifty-one wins from 117 races, 5 consecutive championships from 2004 to 2008 and every other record you can think of in rally racing. To say Sebastien Loeb came into the motorsports scene with a bang is an understatement conquering the Junior World Rally Championship as a rookie in 2001 and progressing straight away to the main series the following year. The Frenchman just narrowly missed winning his first WRC title in 2003, relinquishing the crown to Norway's Petter Solberg by a mere point, but his prowess has been indomitable since.

Loeb's driving supremacy extends to open-wheel where he's posted competitive lap times in testing compared to F1 drivers. The rally specialist has in fact beaten the best of the best in every imaginable racing discipline winning the prestigious Race of Champions event three times, more than any other driver, the formidable Michael Schumacher included.

Yet, in a world where image rules, Loeb is overshadowed by personalities with a penchant for over-the-top drama. Despite his potential for being hailed the greatest driver, he remains hugely under the radar. Still, his many accomplishments speak for itself. Can the Frenchman be considered motorsports greatest?