WRC....Go Citroen!!!

[dogboy]

info thanks to Ateco
CAN CITROËN CLINCH THE WORLD TITLE ON THEIR HOME EVENT?


In only its second full World Championship season, Citroën is set to clinch
the double world title this weekend (14-17 October 2004) on its home event,
the Rally de France, with Sébastien Loeb just five points shy of an
unassailable drivers' championship lead and Citroën seven points away from
taking the manufacturers' title.

With ten points for a win, Sébastien Loeb doesn't actually have to win this
event to take the title and he is a driver renowned for his calmness under
press, so will he drive to win the event or the championship?

"If I said I didn't want to win, who would believe me?" says Loeb. "Last
year, I was leading until the eighth stage when I made a mistake that could
easily have gone unpunished but which ended up costing me ten minutes. I
love Corsica. I love the rally; it's the Rally of France. I believe we
pleased our many fans on the Monte Carlo and in Germany and I would like to
think we could do the same in Corsica. I also believe that winning would be
such an elegant way to clinch the championship!"

Citroën has built is reputation on tarmac events and it has produced its
most decisive wins on hard surfaces, so it and Loeb enter the event as
favourites when the Championship arrives in Corsica for the Rally de
France.

"We have absolutely no reason to be ashamed of what we have achieved on the
loose," explains Loeb. "In each of the past three rallies, we have taken
the fight to Marcus Grönholm and Markko Märtin, and we were even looking
good for victory in Wales - until the last twelve kilometres! That said, I
started off on asphalt and the Xsara began its career by being successful
on this type of surface. Together, we form what has proved to be a very
competitive duo on sealed roads. Our record this year on asphalt, which is
essentially the Rally of Germany, gives us a slight edge. So, to have a
chance of clinching both titles and returning to this type of surface is
definitely a good thing!"

To prepare for Corsica, the team has been practising near Vic in the north
of Spain. This session gave the drivers and the Xsara a chance to get back
into asphalt mode and also to evaluate the latest rubber proposed by
Michelin. Both Seb and Carlos Sainz were very pleased with the work
accomplished and everything is looking very positive for Citroën.

However, this exactly the sort of situation that tends to make the team
manager and highly experienced Guy Fréquelin very wary.

"We are fortunate to have intelligent, safe drivers," explains Fréquelin.
"As far as reliability itself is concerned, it's a state of mind at
Citroën, an obsession almost. We think actively about 'reliability' at
every phase of the car's life, from design to production, validation,
assembly and on events. Whenever we have a problem, we do everything to
ensure it never happens again. And when one of our rivals hits trouble, I
immediately ask whether we have done everything necessary for the same
thing not to happen to us. Despite all these precautions, I know, indeed we
all know that nobody in motor sport can consider themselves immune from
problems. That's something we experienced at first hand in Turkey. It makes
me shudder when I think of the thousands of things that can cause a car to
stop! I could lose sleep over it!"

So what we be his advice to Loeb?

"I will tell him that it's not the moment to be playing at samurais," says
Fréquelin. "He could end up committing hara-kiri. The lead we have pulled
out is too valuable to be thrown away. I have personally been in a position
where I have had to play for the title with my back to the wall after the
preceding rallies went badly. I lost. Carlos has also been through the same
thing. To avoid putting himself in a difficult situation, Seb will have to
be very cautious in Corsica and stay on the road at all cost. Five points,
that's all he needs. I won't relax until the finish. If he succeeds in
securing the title in Corsica, and if the score of our two drivers allows
us to sew up the Manufacturers' championship there, they will be given a
free rein to drive as they wish in Catalonia and Australia!"



Questions to Guy Fréquelin…

You have succeeded in getting at least one Xsara onto the podium in twelve
of the thirteen rounds organised this year prior to Corsica. What is your
recipe for this level of reliability?
"To a great extent, we owe the fact that we are so often at the sharp end
to our crews. We are fortunate to have intelligent, safe drivers. As far as
reliability itself is concerned, it's a state of mind at Citroën, an
obsession almost. We think actively about 'reliability' at every phase of
the car's life, from design to production, validation, assembly and on
events. Whenever we have a problem, we do everything to ensure it never
happens again. And when one of our rivals hits trouble, I immediately ask
whether we have done everything necessary for the same thing not to happen
to us. Despite all these precautions, I know, indeed we all know that
nobody in motor sport can consider themselves immune from problems. That's
something we experienced at first hand in Turkey. It makes me shudder when
I think of the thousands of things that can cause a car to stop! I could
lose sleep over it!"

You are in a very favourable position in the two championships and you
could effectively sew up both titles in Corsica. Does that put the team
under any particular pressure?
"Sincerely, I don't think so! Our current lead, plus the fact that we will
be on known ground in Corsica - even if conditions can be changeable - and
the confidence the team has acquired during this our second full WRC
campaign are all positive factors and should enable us to manage this event
well. My priority will be more to help Sébastien not put himself under too
much pressure…"


…to Sébastien Loeb…

Do you see it as a good thing that the championship returns to asphalt for
what could be a decisive round?
"We have absolutely no reason to be ashamed of what we have achieved on the
loose. In each of the past three rallies, we have taken the fight to Marcus
Grönholm and Markko Märtin, and we were even looking good for victory in
Wales… until the last twelve kilometres! That said, I started off on
asphalt and the Xsara began its career by being successful on this type of
surface. Together, we form what has proved a competitive duo on sealed
roads. Our record this year on asphalt, which is essentially the
Deutschland Rally, gives us a slight edge. So, to have a chance of
clinching both titles, returning to this type of surface is effectively a
good thing!"


Does that mean we can expect a performance with panache from you, as in
Wales?
"I have noted that in closely fought rallies - such as Australia in 2003,
or Wales last month - I don't take any more or less risks when I push hard
than when I drive to finish. If I feel comfortable with the Xsara and if
I'm in good form, then the Corsican stages, which are no more demanding
than those of the Monte Carlo or Germany, should enable me to battle for
victory without taking any unconsidered risks. That's what I hope, in any
case. However, should the speed of another driver force me to drive beyond
what I consider to be a reasonable limit, or should I be forced out of
contention for victory by an incident - by a sudden change in the weather,
for example - then I will immediately re-focus on the championship and on
securing the five points I need to clinch the title. Carlos has told me,
and he is right, that the championship is more important than winning in
Corsica!"

…and to Carlos Sainz…

What do you think of the format of this year's Tour of Corsica, with just
two stages each day run twice?
"I said at the beginning of the season, at the time of the Monte Carlo
Rally, that I didn't find the format of a small number of stages run twice
particularly enthralling for the drivers. Perhaps I'm just more sensitive
to this sort of thing because of my past experience. For sure, times have
changed. Even so, I would still prefer more stages while at the same time
keeping to the maximum total competitive distance, not only for the sport
but also, and above all, for the pleasure! That said, the fact that there
aren't many different stages won't stop this being a great Tour of
Corsica…"

How would you tackle this event if you were in Sébastien's shoes?
"Sébastien needs to stay calm. Given how he went last year, he is the
favourite and he will obviously want to win. But he mustn't take any risks.
He needs to adjust his pace as a function of how the other drivers go, not
make any mistakes and force himself, at least initially, to forget about
the championship stakes. If he has to choose between taking risks to win or
making sure of the championship, my recommendation is that the title is
more important than victory in Corsica…"

In eighteen seasons of world class rallying, you have finished in the
top-three of the championship eleven times. You are again on the
provisional podium this year. Is that an added source of motivation for
you?
"My motivation for this sport is incommensurable. I have been fortunate
enough to be able make a living out of my passion and to spend practically
all these years at the highest level. There's not a day goes by that I
don't appreciate what I do and, whatever the result, I always give 100%..."

Where do you stand concerning your thoughts about 2005? Could finishing in
the top-three of the 2004 Drivers' championship influence your decision?
"The sporting side and my position in the championship will not influence
my decision. What does weigh in the balance is the championship itself. A
calendar of sixteen rounds is forcibly more demanding. If there were fewer
events, I would be asking myself fewer questions. I would like to take part
in a competition where the number of events leaves you time to do other
things… What with testing and the events themselves, that's no longer the
case today…"

Facts and figures:

" The total length of the 2004 Tour of Corsica is 1,060.72 km,
including 387.80 km divided into 12 special stages (6 different).
" The location of the single service park has moved from Campo
dell'Oro to the maritime freight terminal in the centre of Ajaccio.
" Recce (two runs) takes place over Wednesday October 13th (07:00
until 18:30) and Thursday October 14th (07:00 until 13:00).
" The first three stages are described as new. In fact they are in
many cases variants or modified versions of known tests, although that
detracts nothing from their selective nature. The finish of 'Ampaza' has
moved from Petreto to St. Eustache. 'Aullène - Arbellara' is a longer
version of 'Pont de Zérubia - Pont d'Acoravo' which hasn't been used since
1985. 'Vico - Col de Sarzoggiu' (by the Gulf of Sagone and La Cinarca) is
an interesting combination of a number of known sections that have been
used in both directions over the years. The other three stages were run in
2003.
" The shakedown stage (Thursday October 14th, from 13:00 until 16:00)
once again uses a 6.94 km section of road between 'Capo di Feno' and 'St.
Antoine' which was formerly the opening stage of the Tour of Corsica. A
special service park will organised in Santa Lina (Route des Sanguinaires)
for this final pre-event test run.
" A start ceremony will be organised in Place Foch, Ajaccio, on
Thursday October 14th at 20:00.
" Leg 1 (Friday October 15th): 396.41 km, including 121.34 km divided
into 4 stages. Starts from the service park at 08:30; 'Ampaza - Col St
Eustache 1'/'Aullène - Arbellara 1'; Service A (12:44, 20 minutes); 'Ampaza
- Col St Eustache 2 '/'Aullène - Arbellara 2'; Service B (17:55, 45
minutes); Cars enter parc ferme at 18:40.
" Leg 2 (Saturday October 16th): 421.56 km, including 154.36 km
divided into 4 stages. Starts from the service park at 07:40; Service C
(07:40, 10 minutes); 'Vico - Col de Sarzoggiu 1'; RTFZ in Campo dell'Oro
(10:28, 10 minutes); 'Péri - Bastelica 1'; Service D (12:44, 20 minutes);
'Vico - Col de Sarzoggiu 2': RTFZ in Campo dell'Oro (16:07, 10 minutes);
'Péri - Bastelica 2'; Service E (18:20, 45 minutes); cars enter parc ferme
from 19:05.
" Remote Tyre Fitting Zones (RTFZ) have been scheduled between SS5
and 6, and between SS7 and 8. These 10-minute mini service parks are
essentially a chance to fit fresh tyres. The regulations allow a maximum of
two mechanics to work on a car, using only a jack, ramps, axle-stands,
wheel-brace, a torque wrench and ordinary water, plus any parts and tools
carried in the rally car. The crew may also work on their car.
" Leg 3 (Sunday October 17th): 242.75 km, including 112.10 km divided
into 4 stages. Starts from the service park at 07:20. Service F (07:20, 10
minutes); 'Pénitencier Coti Chiavari - Pietra Rossa 1'/'Pont de Calzola -
Agosta 1'; Service G (10:24, 20 minutes); 'Pénitencier Coti Chiavari -
Pietra Rossa 2':'Pont de Calzola - Agosta 2'; Service H (14:00, 20
minutes); Rally finishes at the service out control; Finish ceremony from
14:30.
" Tyres: two types of pattern are authorised per team. They were
registered four weeks prior to the start. The individual driver quota
(tyres identified by bar-codes and nominated on Monday October 11th) is 80
tyres in Corsica, 40 of which may be used during the event.
" Sébastien Loeb made his debut in Corsica driving a Saxo Kit Car
(1999, 19th o/a, 1st Class A6). He finished 9th in 2000 driving a privately
entered WRC car before winning the Junior WRC category in 2001 (Saxo Super
1600). He finished 13th in 2003 (Xsara WRC) after losing 10 minutes
following an off.
" Carlos Sainz has started this event on 16 previous occasions: 2003
(2nd), 2002 (6th), 2001 (retired), 2000 (3rd), 1999 (3rd), 1998 (8th), 1997
(2nd), 1995 (4th), 1994 (2nd), 1993 (4th), 1992 (4th), 1991 (1st), 1990
(2nd), 1989 (retired), 1988 (5th), 1987 (7th).
" Citroën has won the Tour of Corsica four times: 2001 (Puras/Marti,
Xsara WRC), 1999 (Bugalski/Chiaroni, Xsara Kit Car), 1963
(Trautmann/Chabert, DS19), 1961 (Trautmann/Ogier, DS19).

 

[zykyra]

Latest Update

Looks like the Xsara is going out with a bang:

CITROËN: 2004 DOUBLE WORLD CHAMPIONS!

In only their second year in the World Rally Championship, Citroën have
taken both 2004 world titles ** at the weekend (15-17 October) with
Sébastien Loeb securing the drivers' championship with a second place his
home event and team mate Carlos Sainz' third place providing sufficient
points to give Citroën the manufacturers' title.

Citroën has clinched both titles ** with two rounds of the World
Championship to spare, demonstrating not just the skill of Loeb, but also
the reliability and durability of his Citroën Xsara and the consistency of
Carlos Sainz, who during this season reclaimed the crown of the most
successful rally driver of all time.

With Ford dominating the front of event and, with Markko Martin, winning
the event, Loeb once again demonstrated his mature approach, driving fast
enough to secure his fourth second place of the year, but not so fast as to
jeopardize both his and the team's championship dream of winning both
titles on their home event.

At the end of the final stage Loeb, a former Olympic gymnast, leap from the
car doing multiple somersaults!

"I really let go, that's for sure," he said with unashamed delight.
"Relief, perhaps, after the undeniable pressure, even if the team did
everything they could to give me the best conditions possible. And then
there was the pleasure of seeing the joy I had given to all those people
who were waiting for us, who were so happy for us."

So just how intense was the pressure on Loeb?

Until the last two stages I was fine, I was concentrated and everything was
going well, Loeb said at the finish. "In the last stage, around five km
from the end of stage, it became more and more difficult to stay
concentrated. At this time, you begin to hear a lot of problems with the
car; you begin to think what will happen after the race, if you will be
Champion, so it was a lot more difficult to stay concentrated. I was
driving very carefully. It is wonderful for me and all the team to win the
two titles here, in Corsica, in France. This was the absolute best thing we
could hope for this year."

The welcome at the Citroën tent for the final service park lived up to the
achievements of the Citroën drivers, who both finished on the podium for
the fifth time this season.

"In very difficult conditions, we managed a perfect rally," Carlos Sainz
explained between two sprays of champagne. "We achieved both our goals just
at the right time. Titles for a French manufacturer and a French driver
during the French round of the WRC, what could be better? Now we have my
home round, in Spain. I know it will not be easy, but we will enjoy
ourselves, driving without any pressure, and I hope the party will be just
as good!"

It would have been hard for Citroën team manager, Guy Fréquelin, not to be
emotional:

"I just missed out on the world title in 1981" he explained Thanks to the
wonderful team I have the pleasure to lead, thanks to the Xsara, thanks to
our two teams of drivers, I now have almost achieved my goal twenty years
later. That is a great pleasure. This joy is even greater if you consider
that the pure talent crowned here today has come out of our Promotion
Formulae. We pinpointed a young driver, and we have taken him all the way
through to the ultimate title. For a manufacturer which believes firmly in
sporting values, there is nothing finer!"

Claude Satinet, Sporting Director of Automobiles Citroën, was there to
congratulate the whole team.

"Citroën Sport achieved their objectives, even before the end of the
season," he told the team at the finish. "That is very satisfying. As well
as the pure result, we must mention the way it was achieved. The team
understood during 2003, during its first full Championship, that it was
important not to drop any points along the way. Thanks to excellent
organization and perseverance, they put in a perfect performance in 2004,
of which the race in Corsica is another fine example."



Citroën's Fréquelin wins 'Inmarsat Star of Rally' award
Citroën's team boss, Guy Fréquelin, was presented with the Inmarsat Star of
the Rally at the end of the Corsica Rally for his consistent demonstration
of leadership and professionalism over the course of the 2004 season.

This is the second time that Guy (Fréquelin) has picked up the Inmarsat
Star award this season; in Germany it was awarded to the entire Citroen
team for their incredible team spirit.

"Guy (Fréquelin) has been an incredible inspiration in World Rally this
year, "said Nicky Grist, former co-driver and head of the panel of judges.
"Under his leadership, the team has made the Xsara the most reliable car
and they have gone on to achieve a succession of fantastic results to put
them so deservedly at the top of the championship."

"I'm very proud to receive this award but it's really not for me, it is for
all the team because alone I am nothing," said Guy Fréquelin on receiving
the award. "I needed everybody in the team to achieve these results and I
am very proud of what we have done here and this season."



Sebastian Loeb: Diary of a World Champion
It is ten years since the last Frenchman, Didier Auriol, was world rally
champion and 30 year old Sébastien Loeb has taken the title after an
exemplary season, making him the 16th driver to take the title since the
WRC's inception in 1979.

A former gymnast, Loeb was spotted as a future talent as recently as 1995
when he was a finalist in the 'Volant Rallye Jeune'. Sébastien didn't win
that title in 1995 and 1996 but he succeeded in 1997 and was elected 'New
Talent of the Year' by the monthly publication Echappement.

Loeb competed in the Citroën Saxo kit car Trophy in 1998. His talent was
obvious and he finished sixth in his first season. He continued in the same
category in 1999 and won the championship. Loeb also took part in three WRC
events that same year at the wheel of his Saxo kit car.

After experiencing asphalt, Sébastien decided to learn more about
gravel-type events by competing in the French Gravel Rally Championship.
'Seb' won the 2000 title in the 2-litre, 2-wheel drive class. He also won
his first race in the French Championship at the Rallye du Var that same
year. Loeb drove in another two more WRC events, clinching a ninth place at
the Tour de Corse and a tenth position at the San Remo, both at the wheel
of a Toyota Corolla.

Sébastien Loeb became an official Citroën driver in 2001. The Frenchman had
a double programme that season: he drove a Xsara kit car in the French
Rally Championship and a Saxo Super 1600 in the World Rally Championship.
The results couldn't have been any better: he won the French Rally
Championship and the Super 1600 World Rally Championship.

The 2002 season started with a remarkable victory at the Monte Carlo, but
that very first WRC win was later taken away from him following technical
rule infringement with regard to servicing. Later in the season, Loeb took
his revenge and won his first official WRC victory in Germany.

Sébastien almost became World Champion in 2003. A long battle with Petter
Solberg only ended in the last event of the season. Solberg won by a single
point but Loeb impressed with three victories: Monte Carlo, Deutschland and
San Remo.

With two races left in 2004, Sébastien is dominating the championship with
victories in Monte Carlo, Sweden, Cyprus, Turkey and Germany. His
remarkable season was also supplemented by second place finishes in Greece,
Argentina, Japan, Great Britain, Sardinia and the Tour de Corse.

At only 30 years of age, Sébastien Loeb has many years of competition ahead
of him. This first title will probably not be his last.

The World Champions since 1979
Bjorn Waldegaard 1979
Walter Rohrl 1980 - 1982
Ari Vatanen 1981
Hannu Mikkola 1983
Stig Blomqvist 1984
Timo Salonen 1985
Juha Kankunnen 1986 - 1987 - 1991 - 1993
Massimo Biasion 1988 - 1989
Carlos Sainz 1990 - 1992
Didier Auriol 1994
Colin McRae 1995
Tommi Makinen 1996 - 1997 - 1998 - 1999
Marcus Gronholm 2000 - 2002
Richard Burns 2001
Petter Solberg 2003
Sébastien Loeb 2004



Citroën in Motorsport - a brief history
In 1931 lubricant maker Yacco purchased a Citroën C6F for an advertising
campaign and hires a team of five drivers to take the car non-stop round
the Montlhéry circuit near Paris. Named "Petite Rosalie" after a popular
song, the vehicle broke fourteen speed records and introduced Citroën to
motorsport.

In early 1935, Pierre Lécot purchased a Citroën 11 and hired two mechanics,
Mr Cogneras and Mr Marcel with the aim of setting time and distance
records, which were all the rage in the 1930s.

Having studied the map, he opted for a route between Paris and Monte-Carlo,
via Rochetaillée- sur-Saône, his strategic team base. To accomplish this
feat, he would have to drive for 18 hours in a row over a distance of 1,100
km every day, crossing villages and hamlets, over a period of one year.

To make sure that his record would be legally recognised, P. Lecot called
in the Automobile Club de France (ACF) , who set strict conditions for the
project and put in place stringent monitoring. Eight technical inspectors
posted at different points on the route took it in turns to check the
speed, which had to remain below 90 km/h, as well as the mechanical repairs
carried out.

On 22 July 1935 at 3:30 a.m., Pierre Lécot was in front of the hotel in
Rochetaillée, with the mechanic and inspector, ready to set out. By midday,
he was at the Place de la Concorde in Paris. Half-an-hour later, he set off
again for Villejuif, Sens, Auxerre, Tournus, Villefranche sur Saône and
back to Rochetaillée for 9:00 p.m. On this first day, he covered 1,100 km.
The next morning at 3: 30 a.m., he set out on the road to Valence, Orange,
Montélimar, Cannes and Nice, arriving in Monte-Carlo at midday. Like the
previous day, he set out again half-an-hour later to return to his point of
departure.
On 25 December 1935 at 8:19 a.m., five months after his first journey,
Pierre Lécot arrived back at the Place de la Concorde. In the months
between May and December, he had driven 165,045 km, a distance equivalent
to driving round the world four times.

In January 1936, with the agreement of the ACF, he took part in the Monte
Carlo Rally, starting off from Lorenço in Portugal. On 7 June, Lécot
plotted a new route that would take him on a tour of Europe's capital
cities. He visited Berlin, Brussels, Amsterdam, Rome, Madrid, Barcelona,
Vienna and Copenhagen in succession. On completion of his European tour, he
went back to his original route between Paris and Monte Carlo. On the
evening of 24 July 1936, he enjoyed a triumphant welcome in Monte Carlo.
He'd done it! In the space of one year, he had driven 400,000 km, a
distance equivalent to driving round the world ten times. This is an
exploit that remains unique and unbeaten in the annals of automotive
history.

In view of the performance levels of the DS 19, Citroën lined up an
unofficial entry in the 1956 Monte Carlo Rally. Six DS 19s out of the first
500 to leave the assembly lines were entered in the race. An event without
ice or snow, the Monte Carlo was better suited to the Jaguars than to the
DS. Nevertheless, Courtès-Payen finished first in the 1,300-2,000 cm3
class, series touring car category, and 7th overall. Disappointed with this
highly relative success at Monte Carlo, and also with results in the
Thousand Lakes Rally the same year, Citroën decided to withdraw from rally
racing.

Marlène Cotton brought in Richard Bochnicek and Francisco Romaozinho - two
brilliant drivers originally spotted by her husband - together with
Aaltonen and Waldegaard to drive the Citroën SM in the 1972 Morocco Rally.
The results were convincing: Waldegaard came third with an SM prototype
that would be driven by Neyret and Verrier in the Côte d'Ivoire Bandama
Rally the following year

After a few years, Marlène Cotton realised that the time had come to renew
the cars. In 1977, the DS made way for the CX.

Presented at the 1974 Paris Motor Show, the CX replaced the legendary DS
from January 1975. At the time of its market launch, it featured a 112V
petrol version - the CX 2200 - with a top speed of 179 kmh

The Morocco Rally in 1976 and, more particularly, the Sydney-London
marathon in 1997, were decisive tests for the CX 2200 and CX 2400. At the
end of this last event, which covered more than 30,000 km and crossed 14
countries, Paddy Hopkirk took third place, Laurent / Ogier fourth, and
Reddiex tenth.

Guy Verrier hesitated at first asked to take over the racing department,
but he decided to accept the job. A man with experience in racing at all
levels, he also had the fighting spirit required by top-level athletes. He
had already competed for Citroën and was attached to the brand.
In the first months of 1979, Guy Verrier turned his attention to two
drivers who were doing well in gravel events: JP. Luc and P. Lapie.
Continuing Citroën's long sporting tradition, the CX proved to be very much
at ease on this surface. Verrier saw this type of event as a good way to
rebuild the motivation of the technical staff. He asked three new drivers
to join the team: A. Warmbold, G. Chasseuil and P. Wambergue. In a highly
successful comeback, Citroën drivers took the first three places in the
Biarritz Rally, while Deschaseaux won the Morocco Rally.

In 1981, Luc won the Terre de Provence Rally and Latapie took first place
in the Thousand Lakes Rally with a CX2400 GTI. The CX thus proved its
ability to adapt to all surfaces. Coming up behind the CX, however, was a
compact newcomer that had already been picked out by Guy Verrier: the
Citroën Visa.

Guy Verrier had two objectives: to set up an attractive formula that would
help to relaunch the commercial career of the Visa, and to organise
Citroën's participation in the world championship

Following the disappointing performance of the BX in the World Rally
Championship, Citroën decided to concentrate on national events. Guy
Verrier resigned from his position as head of Citroën's racing department
for health reasons.

He was replaced by Guy Fréquelin, a Peugeot rally driver who had just taken
part in his first Paris Dakar with a 205 Turbo 16. Citroën's motor racing
department became Citroën Sport.
In July 1989, Citroën began a rally-raid programme, with a view to taking
part in the 1990 Paris Dakar.

The ZX began its "African" career in the sweltering heat of Spain in the
Baja Aragon: an 800 km non-stop race through the sierra of Aragon. J. Ickx
and A. Vatanen pulled off a double straight away, in the prologue. Despite
mechanical and human problems, Vatanen / Berglung and Ickx / Tarin brought
Citroën its first double win in the young discipline of rally-raid events.

After the dusty tracks of Spain, Citroën moved on to the Egyptian desert
for the Pharoahs Rally. At the first overnight halt, three of the ZXs -
ensnared by the perils of the desert - were already two hours behind.
Waldegaard was the only exception.

The difficulties piled up. Vatanen was more than three hours behind the
leader before managing to make his mark in the Abu Simbel, Siwa, Farafra
and Lake Rawayan stages. But even with these gains, he was too far behind
to give the leaders cause for concern. The rally was won by H. Auriol in a
Lada.

Guy Fréquelin started the progress towards the World Rally Championship by
developing the Citroën Xsara Kit Car, which, under the rules at the time,
was a second tier below the WRC cars and for use in national series. He
also used the Saxo to dominate both the Junior World Rally Championship and
national championships across Europe. There was consternation when a
Citroën Xsara Kit Car won a WRC round ahead of the supposedly faster WRC
cars and when Citroën put their Saxo-driving French champion in the first
Xsara WRC car his almost won his first event. The driver: Sébastien Loeb!



The Citroën Xsara WRC

Engine:
Type: XU7JP4
Installation: transverse at 30° angle
Number of cylinders: 4
Capacity: 1998 cc
Bore x stroke: 86 x 86 mm
Max power: 315 bhp at 5500 rpm
Max torque: 580 Nm at 2750 rpm
Valves: 4 per cylinder
Engine management: Magneti Marelli
Turbocharger: Garrett

Transmission:
Clutch: carbon dual plate
Gearbox: Xtrac 6-speed sequential

Suspension:
Front: MacPherson strut with coil spring
Rear: MacPherson strut with coil spring
Shock absorbers: Extrem Tech

Steering:
Rack and pinion, power assisted

Brakes:
Front: 376 mm ventilated discs, 6-piston calipers
Rear: 310 mm ventilated discs, 4-piston calipers

Tyres:
Michelin

Dimensions:
Wheelbase: 2.555 m
Length: 4.167 m
Width: 1.770 m
Height : 1.390
Weight: 1230 kg



Rally statistics

Stage wins*
Leg 1. SS1 : François Duval (Ford Focus) - SS2 : Markko Märtin (Ford Focus)
- SS3 : F. Duval - SS4 : Sébastien Loeb (Citroën Xsara).
Leg 2. SS5 and 6 : M. Märtin - SS7 : F. Duval - SS8 : M. Märtin.
Leg 3. SS9 : Petter Solberg (Subaru Impreza) - SS10, 11 and 12 : M. Märtin.

Best performers*
M. Märtin, 7 fastest times - F. Duval, 3 - S. Loeb, 1 - P. Solberg, 1.

Successive leaders*
SS1 : F. Duval - SS2 : M. Märtin - ES3 and 4 : F. Duval - SS5 to 12 : M.
Märtin.

Overall classification Rallye de France - Tour de Corse

1. M. Märtin/M. Park (Ford Focus) 4 h 11 min
51,4 s
2. S. Loeb/D. Elena (Citroën Xsara) + 2 min 02
s
3. C. Sainz/M. Marti (Citroën Xsara) + 2
min 55,3 s
4. M. Grönholm/T. Rautiainen (Peugeot 307) + 3 min
29,1 s
5. P. Solberg/Ph. Mills (Subaru Impreza) + 5 min
06,3 s
6. S. Sarrazin/P. Pivato (Subaru Impreza) + 7 min
09,1 s
7. F. Loix/S. Smeets (Peugeot 307) + 8 min
21,2 s
8. A. Schwarz/M. Hiemer (Skoda Fabia) + 9 min
08,3 s
9. T. Gardemeister/P. Lukander (Skoda Fabia) + 9 min
35,3 s
10. M. Hirvonen/J. Lehtinen (Subaru Impreza) +
11 min 58,2 s

* * Stage times of the competitors who re started after having retired
thanks to the SupeRally regulations trial, are not taken into account in
these statistics.


FIA World Manufacturers' Rally Championship **
1. Citroën, 178 points (2004 World Champion**) - 2. Ford, 127 pts - 3.
Subaru, 108 pts - 4. Peugeot, 85 pts.

FIA World Drivers' Rally Championship **
1. S. Loeb, 108 points (2004 World Champion**) - 2. P. Solberg, 78 pts - 3.
M. Märtin, 69 pts - 4. C. Sainz, 67 pts - 5. M. Grönholm, 54 pts - 6. F.
Duval, 47 pts - 7. M. Hirvonen, 23 pts - 8. H. Rovanperä, 20 pts - 9. J.
Tuohino, 16 pts - 10. F. Loix, 9 pts - 11. D. Carlsson, 6 pts - 12. G.
Panizzi, 6 pts - 13. A. Navarra, 5 pts - 14. C. Robert, 4 pts - 15. M.
Stohl, 4 pts … etc.

** Results remain provisional subject to FIA confirmation

 

[XTC]

2004 Tour de Corse - wrap-up.

2004 Tour de Corse, Round 14 of 16 - Oct 15th - Oct 17th 2004

In this issue:

- Unofficial Standings after Leg 3
- Unofficial Leg 3 News
- Championship Standings
- Next Event Summary
- Subscription Information
________________________________________________________________
Unofficial Standings after Leg 3

1. M Märtin/M Park EE Ford Focus RS 4hr 11min 51.4sec
2. S Loeb/D Elena F Citroen Xsara 4hr 13min 53.4sec
3. C Sainz/M Marti E Citroen Xsara 4hr 14min 46.7sec
4. M Grönholm/T Rautiainen FIN Peugeot 307 4hr 15min 20.5sec
5. P Solberg/P Mills N Subaru Impreza 4hr 16min 57.7sec
6. S Sarrazin/P Pivato F Subaru Impreza 4hr 19min 00.5sec
7. F Loix/S Smeets B Peugeot 307 4hr 20min 12.6sec
8. A Schwarz/M Hiemer D Skoda Fabia 4hr 20min 59.7sec
9. T Gardemeister/P Lukander FIN Skoda Fabia 4hr 21min 26.7sec
10 M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Subaru Impreza 4hr 23min 49.6sec
__________________________________________________________________

Unofficial Leg 3 News

Second place for Sebastien Loeb (Citroen) ensured the Frenchman secured his
maiden drivers' title on home ground, with two events remaining. Team-mate
Carlos Sainz was third and their efforts mean the manufacturers' title also
goes to the French team. Following Duval's retirement, everyone moved up
one place but there were no changes in the order. Private entrant Stephane
Sarrazin took an excellent sixth while Armin Schwarz (Skoda) scored his
first point of the season in eighth. Tenth place was enough for Mikko
Hirvonen (Subaru) to claim the final manufacturers' points.

Forty-six drivers left Ajaccio parc ferme at 0720hrs. Two of those had
re-started after retiring on a previous Leg

The shortest of the event, Leg three included four stages (two repeated)
south of Ajaccio and a competitive distance of 112.10km. Stages were
separated by a 20-minute service

After overnight heavy rain, skies were overcast all day. Temperatures were
11°C this morning, rising to 19°C by the afternoon. Stages were a mixture of
damp and dry asphalt

Ford

Markko Märtin and Michael Park today won the Rallye de France after their
BP-Ford World Rally Team dominated the asphalt event on the Mediterranean
island of Corsica. Their Ford Focus RS World Rally Car crossed the finish
line in Ajaccio with a lead of 2min 02.0sec after three-days of flat-out
driving over slippery mountain roads. The Focus RS led the rally, round 14
of the FIA World Rally Championship, from the first of the 387.80km of
competition. Märtin and Park won seven of the 12 speed tests with
team-mates François Duval and Stéphane Prévot winning another three after a
tremendous battle for supremacy between the BP-Ford duo. Their duel ended
early this morning when Duval unfortunately retired with engine problems.
This was the first asphalt success for the new-design Focus RS and the first
sealed surface victory of Märtin's career. His other three wins have all
been on gravel. The 28-year-old Estonian climbs to third in the drivers'
series while his victory consolidated second place in the manufacturers'
standings for Ford.

Markko Martin / Michael Park: "It's a great moment for me to win on asphalt
for the first time," said Märtin. "Corsica is the classic asphalt event and
the ultimate one to win. It has been a brilliant weekend and we've had a
really impressive run. Today was enjoyable but Friday and Saturday were
really hard work. It was satisfying to be able to enjoy today after having
put in the hard effort for the previous two days. "When I stared my career,
I had three goals. One was to win the Rally Finland, one was to win on
asphalt, preferably in Corsica, and the other was to win the world
championship. I have achieved the first two so I only have one more to go.
We've finally been able to use the Christian Loriaux-designed Focus RS to
its full potential on asphalt this weekend. We've had the fastest car for
two years on this surface and at last we've made it all work. It was
important for me to win here and full credit to the team. I've had a really
low summer and now we have blown everyone away," he added.

Francios Duval / Philippe Droeven: Duval and Prévot re-started this morning
in second place in their Focus RS, just 20.8sec behind Märtin. However, the
Belgians' hopes of a final day fight with the Estonian, and the team's hopes
of a one-two finish, ended on the opening stage when they stopped with an
engine problem. "About 1km after the start the water temperature and oil
warning lights came on," said 23-year-old Duval. "The car then dropped onto
three cylinders and I knew at that point that my rally was over. We finally
stopped after 7km when there was a small fire under the bonnet, which we
quickly put out. I'm incredibly disappointed."

Subaru

After a difficult rally for the Subaru Team, Petter Solberg and Mikko
Hirvonen crossed the finish line of the French Tour de Corse in fifth and
tenth place respectively. Although both Impreza WRC's ran without fault all
weekend, and both drivers collected Championship points, the result was
disappointing following three consecutive rally wins for Subaru.

Petter Solberg / Phil Mills: Obviously I'm disappointed that the title race
is over but that's just how it is. We've shown this weekend that we have a
lot of work to do before we are truly competitive in these conditions.
Sebastien's a good champion and I'm pleased for him. His team has done a
good job and it's well deserved. We've had some good battles this year and,
fair do's, he's the real champ this time. But, even though the title may be
decided, you can be sure I'm going to go out and do my best on the last two
events.

Mikko Hirvonen / Jarmo Lehtinen: Well, I think overall this rally has been a
good learning experience for me. The conditions have been tough, but I now
feel much more at ease with the car and the tyres on this surface. There's
still lots of work to do, but I'm hopeful that we can put some of what we've
learned to good use in Catalunya.

Citroen

In only their second year in the World Rally Championship, Citroën have
taken both 2004 world titles ** at the weekend (15-17 October) with
Sébastien Loeb securing the drivers' championship with a second place his
home event and team mate Carlos Sainz' third place providing sufficient
points to give Citroën the manufacturers' title.

Sébastien Loeb / Daniel Elena: At the end of the final stage Loeb, a former
Olympic gymnast, leap from the car doing multiple somersaults! "I really let
go, that's for sure," he said with unashamed delight. "Relief, perhaps,
after the undeniable pressure, even if the team did everything they could to
give me the best conditions possible. And then there was the pleasure of
seeing the joy I had given to all those people who were waiting for us, who
were so happy for us."

So just how intense was the pressure on Loeb? Until the last two stages I
was fine, I was concentrated and everything was going well, Loeb said at the
finish. "In the last stage, around five km from the end of stage, it became
more and more difficult to stay concentrated. At this time, you begin to
hear a lot of problems with the car; you begin to think what will happen
after the race, if you will be Champion, so it was a lot more difficult to
stay concentrated. I was driving very carefully. It is wonderful for me and
all the team to win the two titles here, in Corsica, in France. This was the
absolute best thing we could hope for this year."

Carlos Sainz / Marc Marti: "In very difficult conditions, we managed a
perfect rally," Carlos Sainz explained between two sprays of champagne. "We
achieved both our goals just at the right time. Titles for a French
manufacturer and a French driver during the French round of the WRC, what
could be better? Now we have my home round, in Spain. I know it will not be
easy, but we will enjoy ourselves, driving without any pressure, and I hope
the party will be just as good!"

It would have been hard for Citroën team manager, Guy Fréquelin, not to be
emotional: "I just missed out on the world title in 1981" he explained
Thanks to the wonderful team I have the pleasure to lead, thanks to the
Xsara, thanks to our two teams of drivers, I now have almost achieved my
goal twenty years later. That is a great pleasure. This joy is even greater
if you consider that the pure talent crowned here today has come out of our
Promotion Formulae. We pinpointed a young driver, and we have taken him all
the way through to the ultimate title. For a manufacturer which believes
firmly in sporting values, there is nothing finer!"

Claude Satinet, Sporting Director of Automobiles Citroën, was there to
congratulate the whole team. "Citroën Sport achieved their objectives, even
before the end of the season," he told the team at the finish. "That is very
satisfying. As well as the pure result, we must mention the way it was
achieved. The team understood during 2003, during its first full
Championship, that it was important not to drop any points along the way.
Thanks to excellent organization and perseverance, they put in a perfect
performance in 2004, of which the race in Corsica is another fine example."


Peugeot

Peugeot drivers Marcus Gronholm and Freddy Loix have finished fourth and
seventh respectively on the Rally de France-Tour de Corse, scoring valuable
World Championship points. Marcus started the day fifth, and concentrated on
trying out settings which will be useful on the all-asphalt Catalunya Rally
in two week's time. He kept up a strong pace – setting second-fastest time
twice today – to make sure of fourth place and continue the asphalt
development of the all-new Peugeot 307 WRC. His car performed faultlessly
throughout the leg, and he ended up half a minute off a podium place.
Freddy's confidence took a blow on the opening leg, when he could not find a
set-up which suited his driving style. But as the rally progressed, he
worked with Peugeot's engineers to find a solution which enabled him to move
up into the points. With his position firmly consolidated by the final day,
Freddy's priority was just to get to the finish.

Marcus Gronhölm / Timo Rautiainen: "It's been a long and tough three days,"
said the two-time World Champion. "I started off with little confidence in
the car's handling but the feeling got a bit better as I made a few small
changes to the set-up. We were also testing a few things which will be
useful for the asphalt of Catalunya in the future. This has not been an easy
rally, but I have not done so much testing with the car in these sorts of
conditions."

Freddy Loix / Sven Smeets: "I never really recovered from the opening day,"
said the Belgian. "However, things got a little better all the time and on
the final leg I was quite comfortable with the car. We were able to try some
settings for Catalunya, so this rally has been a useful experience."

Cedric Robert / Gerard Bedon: Cedric Robert was forced to retire from a
strong sixth place yesterday after sliding off on some standing water.

Skoda

With the rally route concentrated in the mountains around the island’s
capital of Ajaccio, the notoriously changeable weather proved a critical
factor in the overall performance of the Fabia WRC. With the format of the
route based on pairs of long stages it proved virtually impossible to find a
tyre that worked perfectly in all conditions throughout the weekend.
Nevertheless the cars ran almost faultlessly over the three days and, has
Skoda Motorsport been registered for the 2004 World Rally Championship both
Armin and Toni would have scored manufacturers’ series points.

Armin Schwarz / Manfred Hiemer: “Overall this hasn’t been a bad performance
but we could have finished higher if I hadn’t had my hydraulic problem on
the second stage yesterday. The format of the event and the changing weather
conditions meant that tyre choice was a complete gamble and I have to say
that we didn’t really get it right this weekend.”

Toni Gardemeister / Paavo Lukander: “When the road surface was consistent I
was able to set some good times and I have been generally pleased with my
performance on asphalt here. It’s been a bit of an up and down rally all
weekend.”
__________________________________________________________________

Championship Points

Drivers
1. S Loeb 108pts
2. P Solberg 78pts
3. M Märtin 69pts
4. C Sainz 67pts
5. M Grönholm 54pts
6. F Duval 47pts

Manufacturers
1. Citroen 178pts
2. Ford 127pts
3. Subaru 108pts
4. Peugeot 85pts
__________________________________________________________________

Next Event

The second of two consecutive Mediterranean asphalt rallies, Rallye
Catalunya starts on Friday 29 October. The penultimate round of the 2004
World Rally Championship is based in the coastal resort of Lloret de Mar,
and features high-speed, smooth asphalt stages. The longest test is the
Viladrau stage at 35.18km, while the shortest will be the La Roca stage at
5.05km. The event will conclude when the winning car crosses the finish ramp
in Lloret de Mar at 1526hrs on Sunday.


__________________________________________________________________

 

[GTI124]

Great win by Marko, good to see the Fords back after a poor run of form. I don't mind Marko, but you can imagine how quick that car would be with someone like Loeb driving it.

Great win to Loeb and to Citroen. Since Peugeot switched to the 307 I switched camps to support Citroen. Of course, I own a Ford so I'm a bit torn, too!

Is the Citroen running the same engine as Peugeot? Do they run different engine programs?

 

[nate]

yeah superb to see the frenchies up there!

Renault might be avin a crack at it too!
http://www.f1racing.net/en/news.php?newsID=66872

Pity if they drop out of F1

Oh & finally more answers to all those "Its a subaru, its AWD, its Rally Bred"... people... "yeah rally... where they get their a$$es handed to them by the frenchies!!! w00t!"

 

[TroyO]

Is the Citroen running the same engine as Peugeot? Do they run different engine programs?

I'm not sure if they run the same engine programs, but they do use the same base engine (XU7). Citroen have always been using XU7 with the Xsara WRC , Peugeot have only been using the XU7 since the introduction of the 307WRC.

Troy.

 

[XsaraVTS]

same engine different engineers. Oh yeah, and we all know that they should both be running the same "water pump" then, eh??

I'm worried about next year. They are stupidly thinking of entering the C4 WRC in the last couple of rounds of 2005. What happens if it is a close championship?

In honour of their success - I think Citroen should release the C4 Turbo here in Australia to coincide with the Telstra Rally of Australia for an introductory price of $39,990.

 

[GTI124]

same engine different engineers. Oh yeah, and we all know that they should both be running the same "water pump" then, eh??

I'm worried about next year. They are stupidly thinking of entering the C4 WRC in the last couple of rounds of 2005. What happens if it is a close championship?

In honour of their success - I think Citroen should release the C4 Turbo here in Australia to coincide with the Telstra Rally of Australia for an introductory price of $39,990.

Hear Hear! I'll have one of those! Love the C4, hopefully they can get it to handle better than the 307 pile of poo.