Freddy Loix
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| Freddy Loix | |
|---|---|
| World Rally Championship record | |
| Nationality |  Belgian |
| Active years | 1993 - 2004 |
| Teams | Toyota, Mitsubishi, Hyundai, Peugeot |
| World rallies | 86 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podium finishes | 3 |
| Stage wins | 34 |
| Points | 88 |
| edit | |
Freddy Loix is a Belgian rally driver, born 10 November 1970 in Tongeren, Belgium.
Loix’s career in motor sport began in karting at the age of 15. In 1990, he bought his first rally car, a Lancia Delta group N, though he soon progressed to a Mitsubishi Galant Group N.
1993 saw a big step forward in Loix's career as he became part of the Marlboro World Championship Team driving an Opel Astra and he became the Belgian F2-champion.
Nicknamed Fast Freddy by his fans, he made the switch to four wheel drive in 1996 with a Toyota Celica GT-Four and completed 3 WRC events and a further 6 in 1997. This period saw continuing sponsorship with Marlboro and a switch to the new Toyota Corolla WRC. He took the lead in the 1997 Sanremo Rally but mechanical problems brought an end to his charge for victory.
Loix and his co-driver, Sven Smeets, moved to Mitsubishi in 1999 and campaigned a Lancer EVO VI. His first year with Mitsubishi proved to be a difficult one with Loix being injured in a horrific accident during the Safari Rally. Despite the setback, Loix fought back and achieved 4 fourth places (in Spain, Greece, Sanremo and Australia).
In 2001, and after several successful seasons, the Mitsubishi Lancer, being a Group A car, found itself outdated and incapable of competing on the same level as the new WRC cars that the other teams were running. Mitsubishi withdrew from the World Rally Championship at the end of that year.
Loix signed a two-year contract with Hyundai at the start of 2002. This was a difficult season in the Hyundai Accent WRC and his best result was 6th place on the Rally Australia. Due to funding cutbacks in 2003, the team couldn't develop the car further and Hyundai retired from the WRC mid-season.
A drive for Peugeot in the last rally of the 2003 calendar, the RAC Rally in Great Britain, saw him finish in 6th place overall. In the 2004 season, Loix completed only 5 WRC events, all for the private Marlboro team and in a Peugeot 307 WRC before retiring from the World rally Championship.
Loix still competes, in a variety of cars, mainly on Belgian national events.
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