Seb : Full steam ahead!

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On his way to securing the Drivers' World Championship in only his second full season at this level, Sébastien Loeb took on a whole new dimension in 2004. Top Chrono looks back at some of the highlights of an ideal year…

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That evening, two days before the start of the 2004 Monte Carlo Rally, the restaurant of Monaco's Marriott Hotel is practically empty. Sitting alone, Didier Clément, engineer of the N°3 Xsara, takes time off to dine rapidly before returning to his dossiers. He is clearly hungry. “There are no regrets to be had concerning 2003, but we have no intention of letting a second chance to win the championship slip by. That's for sure.” Just as well, for Loeb is out for revenge, as he is about to show… On the following Sunday afternoon, as Didier is waiting for his driver to show up at the final time control on the Monaco harbour-front, he calls him on his mobile to announce the next goal: “Now the Monte Carlo Rally's in the bag, the next step is to win in Sweden, even if you are first on the road. How's that for a challenge?” A fortnight later, Daniel Elena's lack of meteorological training doesn't stop him from making a forecast: “The snow is visibly melting. Maybe this will be our first win on gravel!” Sébastien Loeb effectively finishes in front, but in typically icy Swedish conditions. In doing so, he becomes the first non-Scandinavian to claim the winter classic in its 52-year history. At the finish, Guy Fréquelin is moved to tears… but not surprised: “Ever since last year's Rally Australia, where there wasn't very much grip either, nothing Seb does surprises me any more.” It's also a wish come true for Didier Clément.

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Thirteen, unlucky for some…

Out of superstition, Daniel Elena remarks that there are thirteen diners around the table in the restaurant in Leon after Tuesday's recce for Rally Mexico. “Maybe we should switch to two tables?” Too late! Days later, on Saturday... March 13th, the sump of his and Sébastien's Xsara is cracked open by a badly placed rock. Pupil Loeb has his ears pulled by headmaster Fréquelin in the postfinish
debrief which is more agitated than usual… “To continue driving flat out with zero oil pressure was not a good idea. In that sort of situation, I told Seb it's best to risk losing a few additional minutes and perhaps try and rescue a few points. I think he has understood the lesson...”

For Daniel Elena, it was the 2003 Rally of Turkey that served as a lesson. Not a day had since passed without him thinking back to the navigational error that had led to the car retiring with an empty fuel tank. Fifteen months later, the return to the twisty tracks near Antalya sees Sébastien Loeb claim his first WRC success on gravel, making him one of only a handful of legendary drivers to have won on every type of surface, the others being Tommi Mäkinen, Ari Vatanen and Markku Alen. But nobody is surprised. Not any more.

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The victor’s smile

“It is not a weatherman we need. It's a clairvoyant… or a magician!” In the car that takes them back to their hotel after the first leg of the Deutschland Rally, Sébastien attempts to appease Carlos who has little liking for this event, especially when it takes place in atrocious conditions, and the Bostalsee service park is shrouded in rain and fog. “Too dangerous,” comments the Spaniard. But Loeb, who hails from nearby Alsace, completes the distance unscathed – unlike Grönholm and Solberg – to keep up his unbeaten record here since 2002... “Everything went well,” he declares to the TV cameras at the finish. “Even my boss is smiling!” Life, effectively, couldn't be rosier for the leader of the Red Army... On the eve of the title fight's dénouement, a storm is brewing in Corsica. Not between Guy Fréquelin and Sébastien Loeb, who are in Suite 108 of the Porticcio Sofitel, but outside where flashes of lightning illuminate the night sky: “So far, everything has gone perfectly, Seb. Just stay cool.” After the previous round, in Sardinia, Loeb had announced his intention to win the Tour of Corsica. But his boss was swift to temper that ambition. And now, with championship rival Solberg essentially out of the picture at end-of-play Saturday, Loeb's 2nd place is, to his eyes, ideal. From the corridor, as he retires to his room, Sébastien hears Guy Fréquelin call out: “Sweet dreams!” He turns and answers:
“You too.” The very next day, their dreams become reality. Sébastien Loeb, Daniel Elena and Citroën are the 2004 World Champions, with two rounds still to come.

For the season's final encounters, both drivers are given a free rein. Loeb is eager to beat Solberg in terms of outright wins and Sainz wants to conclude the year in style. However, his glittering career is destined to be an anticlimax when he injures his neck in a recce accident prior to the start of Rally Australia. Friday lunchtime in Perth and it's time for goodbyes as the Spaniard prepares to head for the airport and home. “When I get to Madrid,” he warns, “I want to hear on the phone that you've won.” The rally is far from over but, putting superstition to one side for once, Guy Fréquelin beckons to Loeb. “That's a deal.” Sébastien smiles as he shakes his team-mate's hand. The following day, early leader Grönholm becomes an easy prey for Satory's version of Crocodile Dundee who goes on to collect his sixth victory of the year, a bumper harvest indeed!

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DANIEL ELENA : Keeping Loeb : on course!

Following a recent ruling which WRC co-drivers have had difficulty accepting, Daniel Elena's name no longer appears on the Xsara yet he has played a key role in Sébastien Loeb's climb to fame…

At last, Daniel Elena can take the time to savour not the Mâcon-Burgy wine produced by his in-laws in the Burgundy region of France but the fruit of his vintage 2004 season alongside Sébastien Loeb. “We took six wins, twice as many as in 2003, and finished six times in 2nd place for a total of twelve podiums from a possible sixteen. That shows we were both quick and reliable, and consistency is important in rallying. This year, Seb and I retired just twice and scored 118 points out of a maximum possible of 160 which tends to prove that we learnt from the lessons of 2003...” …and from the occasional error that was probably inevitable for a crew competing in its first full WRC campaign! Even so, buoyed by their runners-up finish in 2003, Sébastien and Daniel had no reason to be disappointed. “It's true, we would have signed at once if someone had said we would finish second behind Solberg, so we quickly refocused and went into the 2004 season knowing that we would again be able to fight for the title. Seb felt increasingly confident with the Xsara, we both felt the team was motivated as ever and our year got off to a flying start on the Monte Carlo Rally and then in Sweden.” It was effectively a great way to kick off the championship – especially the pair's historic triumph in Scandinavia – and not even the blank result in Mexico could dent their enthusiasm. “ To my mind, the first turning point was our near-perfect score in the trio of rough Mediterranean events. Everything followed on from that like a dream. Seb never went off – except once during testing! – and we didn't go through a barren spell, unlike Solberg who was never able to brige the gap we had pulled out.” The season reached its peak in Corsica, in front of their French fans. “It's a lucky event for us. We were crowned Super 1600 World Champions there in 2001. I saw that as a sign...” And rounding off the year with a win in Australia was the ideal way to warn their rivals that they mean business again in 2005… “Seb and I know we have the team and the car to defend our crown. You can count on us. We will give it everything we've got!”

After his victories in New Zealand and Sardinia, Citroën's Sébastien Loeb will bid this weekend (12-15 May 2005) to consolidate his lead with a third successive win in the Cyprus round of the World Rally Championship, but it won't be easy with second Mediterranean island round being notorious for being a car breaker and Loeb is the first on the road.



"Being first on the road isn't easy," says Sébastien Loeb, the reigning World Rally Champion. "It can even be a big handicap on Friday's opening loop. The stages are the same as 2004 and I hope they don't cut up too much. Last year we had the impression that they were just as we had left them after two runs in 2003! But, the fact that I will serve as 'road sweeper' on the Friday means that I am leading the championship and for that reason, I would be happy to start every event first on the road!"

With an average speed of 66 kmh and the roughest, rocky stages in the WRC, the Cyprus round could not be more different from the sand of Sardinia or the smooth gravel of New Zealand, despite being in the same 'gravel event' category as the two previous rounds.

"The Cypriot stages place the accent on vertical suspension travel," says Technical Manager Xavier Mestelan-Pinon. "The bumpy, undulating roads eat up a lot of the ride height, so the suspension needs to be able to cope with that as efficiently as possible. The twisty stages and their thick layer of surface gravel also call for a precise, easy to control car that allows the driver to keep it clean and stay in the lines. Last but not least, you've got to take into account the heat and very slow speeds which hamper cooling of the engine, brakes and cockpit."

A week before Rally Italia Sardinia, Citroën travelled to Greece for a four-day test aimed not only at preparing for Cyprus, but also for the Acropolis and Turkey events. With Sébastien Loeb and François Duval taking turns at the wheel, the programme focused on fine-tuning the car's basic rough rally set-up as well as testing the latest rubber from Michelin which enabled the drivers to finalise their respective quotas of 65 tyres.

In 2003, Sébastien Loeb, Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz demonstrated the Xsara WRC's remarkable reliability by finishing in close formation in 3rd, 4th and 5th positions. Last year saw the cars of Sébastien Loeb and Carlos combine reliability and performance to put them on the podium again.

"Our performance in New Zealand was effectively a good pointer for other events, and our run in Sardinia is obviously a good omen going into Cyprus, Greece and Turkey," says Guy Fréquelin, Citroen Sport Team Director. "But we need to keep our feet on the ground. You can't carry everything over from one event to another. Every rally is different. Cyprus, for example, features slow average speeds and searing heat. We have obviously prepared for that, but so have our rivals. For me, a big question mark hangs over this event. I am naturally very hopeful, but I remain cautious."

Sainz to return to Citroen for Rally of Turkey

After the excellent results of Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena with their Xsara WRC at the start of the season - 4 wins out of 6 rounds - Citroën is keen to take the necessary time to reconsider its strategy regarding the Manufacturers Championship in the FIA WRC, depending on the situation with its second crew, and in order to consolidate and improve its position in the classification.

For this reason, Citroën has asked Carlos Sainz and Marc Marti if they could replace François Duval and Stéphane Prévot for the next event on the calendar, the Rally of Turkey.

Carlos SAINZ has accepted Citroën's request although he was clearly determined to retire from active FIA WRC competition. This one off participation will not lead to his comeback in the championship.

Carlos SAINZ has expressed his intention to help the Citroën team and commented : ""It's been seven months since I last drove a Xsara WRC, but considering the current situation, I want to help Citroën if they judge it's necessary. It's clear that my participation is depending on extraordinary circumstances and doesn't mean I will come back to world rallying. With this temporary measure I hope to contribute to the team's success. It was also normal to give a favour back to Citroën who helped me a lot in 2003. "

Guy Fréquelin said : "The results of Citroën in the Manufacturers Championship aren’t matching our goals. To give ourselves more time to think about the strategy we will adopt for the rest of the season, and considering Carlos' record and his consistent performance during the past two years, I've asked him if he could drive for us in Turkey"

Sebastien and Carlos in Turkey


Citroen has gone back to the future for the Turkish round of the world rally Championship that starts in Antalya on 2 June with the Citroen's team made up of last year's Rally of Turkey winner, Sébastien Loeb, and the return to the team of rally's inaugural victor, Carlos Sainz, as Citroen battles to make its bid to retain it manufacturer's title as successful as Sébastien Loeb's title defence.

"We have been through a period which gave us significant cause for concern, the origin of which being that my instructions were not adhered to," says Team Director, Guy Fréquelin, of his decision to 'rest' François Duval for this rally. "Our situation in the Manufacturers' championship is consequently not in keeping with our objectives. It was therefore inconceivable not to react. I have to thank Carlos Sainz for accepting to help us out. That enabled us to solve the immediate problem of the Rally of Turkey. Was it a risk to call him in? It probably represents less of a risk than continuing along the same road on which we found ourselves. His valuable help gives us time to think. Indeed, no decision concerning what we do after Turkey has been taken for the moment. The future is under discussion."

After a September date in 2002, a late February slot in 2003 and a move to late June in 2004, the 2005 Rally of Turkey will take place at the beginning of June, which makes it the second of this year's trilogy of hot and rough Mediterranean fixtures. Located 340 km northwest of Cyprus, which hosted the previous round, the region promises to be very hot - Antalya's June average is 29°C - and the stages are likely to be very similar to those of last season. Given that testing on-site is not permitted, the latter point is of particular interest for the teams who will be competing in Turkey for only the third time.

For the majority of its preparation work for the three Mediterranean sorties, Citroën chose to test in Greece where the Xsara WRC's rough gravel set-up was fine-tuned along with the customary tyre evaluation work. The team also spent time at Alès-Monteils in the south of France where Carlos Sainz was in attendance on Thursday May 26th.

"Carlos has no experience of the HANS safety system which is now mandatory," points out Xavier Mestelan-Pinon, Technical Manager. "Part of the day was given over to adapting his seat and making the small modifications that can help relieve the initial discomfort. We found the same old Carlos; totally committed, very motivated, demanding and meticulous."

After emerging on top of the Drivers' championship after Sardinia, Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena will be first on the road on Day 1, just as they were in Cyprus. However, with around 90 km of stages on the menu, his road-sweeping duties will last longer than they did on the island of Aphrodite. Sébastien, however, takes this potential handicap philosophically.

"The positive side is that it proves I'm leading the championship. And we have won before after running first on the road on Day 1," says Sébastien Loeb. "Last year, the heavy rain that fell before the start meant that being first on the road wasn't such a handicap. It's by no means certain that we will find the same conditions this year. I will be looking of course to keep up my recent winning momentum and we have already won rallies in the past despite being first into the stages on Day 1. Even so, I think it will be a case of trying to lose as little ground as possible to begin with. We will see where we stand when there's no more road sweeping to be done and we will know at that point what sort of result we can aim for."

Competing for the first time this year, Carlos Sainz will benefit from a much more favourable start position. The Spaniard will effectively start the 195th WRC outing of his sparkling career in around fifteenth place, a position to which he is not accustomed but which should ensure he has a perfectly clear surface. This could help compensate for his initial lack of match form - his last drive in a WRC car was seven months ago - and help him emerge in an early provisional points scoring position in keeping with the wishes of Guy Fréquelin: "I'll take however many Manufacturers' points Carlos brings us!"

Fréquelin: Carlos could surprise us
 
Citroen boss Guy Fréquelin has stated his belief that the returning Carlos Sainz could spring a surprise this weekend on the Rally of Turkey.

Seven months since he last set foot in a WRC car, Sainz will make his return to competition in place of Francois Duval this weekend in a one-off drive and Fréquelin said that, while he would be happy with any points that Sainz could secure, he felt the experienced Spaniard could be the surprise package of the weekend.

"I have asked him to drive at his own pace, without pushing too hard," Fréquelin said heading into the event. "I don't want him to take any risks and I'll take however many Manufacturers' points he brings us. Carlos will see that the car has evolved, but he already knows this. He has been in regular contact since the beginning of the season and has made a point of keeping up to speed with the work we are doing. For someone with his experience, seven months away isn't really a problem. After such a long break, I think he will be relaxed, rested and very motivated...I think he could surprise us!"

Fréquelin added that the team had had little choice but to bring in someone new for the Turkish event after a disappointing season so far for Duval – and admitted that no decision had been made on what would happen regarding the second Citroen seat post Turkey.

"We have been through a period which gave us significant cause for concern, the origin of which being that my instructions were not adhered to," he said. "Our situation in the Manufacturers' championship is consequently not in keeping with our objectives. It was therefore inconceivable not to react. I have to thank Carlos Sainz for accepting to help us out. That enabled us to solve the immediate problem of the Rally of Turkey.

"Was it a risk to call him in? It probably represents less of a risk than continuing along the same road on which we found ourselves. His valuable help gives us time to think. Indeed, no decision concerning what we do after Turkey has been taken for the moment. The future is under discussion..."

Article from: Crash.Net

Citroen WRC winning ways in Finland?

They're called Yumps and they have entered motorsport folklore as providing a potent mix of excitement for spectators, fear for drivers and a remarkable challenge for rally car designers and builders. Yumps live in the forests of Finland and in what is the fastest rally of the World Rally Championship, the Rally of Finland, they will launching the world's top drivers into the air over and over again for hundreds of metres this weekend. (4-7 August 2005)



Of course, the big question is: Can Sébastien Loeb yump on to the top step of the podium for the seventh time in a row and for the eighth time this season? Or, will he back off and rest on his laurels and his 25 point lead in the driver's championship?

"I really want to win this rally," says a confident Loeb. "It's a legendary event that very few non-Finns have won and I'm on a good run at the moment. However, I have no intention of driving absolutely flat out. That's not my style. I'm not the sort of driver who goes crazy. It's not in my nature to take what I have noted as a 5th-gear corner in 6th in the belief that it'll be OK. In the last stage in Mexico, as well as in Argentina after my spin, I was close to the limit but I still kept it tidy. Scrambling round a corner doesn't suit me and it doesn't pay. So I will drive in my usual way, pushing as hard as I feel I can to begin with, then seeing where we stand and after that adapting ours tactics as necessary. In Finland, we will see early on whether we have a real chance of winning."

No longer poetically known as the �� Lakes Rally', the former 'Great Race of Jyväskylä' nonetheless continues to be the Rally of the 1000 Yumps, and also the championship's fastest round, with the winner's average speed invariably around the 120 kph mark. This combination of high speed and crests is responsible for the amazing jumps, airborne moments and spectacular landings that have forged the reputation of this Grand Prix on gravel.

Generations of Finnish drivers have kept a jealous guard over their home event and few foreigners have succeeded in breaking their stranglehold: four Swedish wins in the course of the first 39 events, Carlos Sainz and Didier Auriol in the early 90s and Estonia's Markko Märtin in 2003.

Ever since the Xsara WRC's maiden flight here in 2002, Citroen has patiently fine-tuned its understanding of this unique terrain to make its car increasingly competitive, a claim borne out by the progress of its stage times and results in recent years. To prepare for this year's rally, Citroën Sport's test team made full use of the four days of on-site testing permitted by the regulations.

"Because of the high speeds, the steering has to be as precise as possible," explains the Technical Manager Xavier Mestelan-Pinon. "At the same time, the jumps mean the suspension must be capable of soaking up the constraints associated with every landing. It's all about finding a set-up that combines these two requirements as effectively as possible, without neglecting the car's 'in-flight' performance."

Neste Rally Finland's countless jumps make this event something of a monument. However, the practically unassailable nature of this stronghold only serves to add value to a victory here and the will to win this round was already implanted in the minds of Citroen at the beginning of the year, before being fanned by the team's success over the fast gravel of April's Rally New Zealand, which could be described as Finland without the yumps!

The five wins which have followed since that achievement have merely served to reinforce the squad's confidence and hopes. Aware that factors such as running first on the road on Day 1 (more than 90 km of 'road sweeping' without no rivals' lines to guide him), the weather and the locals' inborn 'sisu' - the famed Finish fighting spirit - are likely to complicate their task, Citroën Sport, Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena can but aim for top spot given their recent run of success. And that would be an ideal way to celebrate Seb and Daniel's 50th start with the Xsara WRC.

As a former successful driver himself, Guy Fréquelin obviously shares the same will to win as his troops, although the Citroën Sport Director is conscious that the prime objective is to defend the team's Drivers' and Manufacturers' crowns:

"However legendary an event it is, Rally Finland is just one of the sixteen 'stages' that make up the long rally that is the championship. We need to bear that in mind all the time," says Guy Fréquelin.

OUT TO DEFEND A CROWN…

Manufacturer: Citroen
Press Release Type: Pre-event Release

Victory with Philippe Bugalski and Jean-Paul Chiaroni on the 2001 Deutschland Rally, the year before the event's inclusion in the World Championship, began a sequence of wins for the Citroën Xsara in Germany which has continued with three consecutive successes for Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena in 2002, 2003 and 2004.

This year, the current Drivers' championship leaders will naturally be looking to extend this run on an event which gave them their maiden WRC victory three years ago. The second Citroën Sport-entered Xsara will be driven by François Duval, 2nd in Germany twelve months ago, and his co-driver Sven Smeets.

Although it has only counted towards the World Championship on three occasions, the Deutschland Rally has rapidly carved out a solid reputation. Based to the east of Trier and situated within striking distance of six European countries, it stands out as the most European of all the current world class rallies and visitors from Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Switzerland and France, as well as local fans and those from even farther afield help make this an extremely popular event with the spectators.

The German round also features a unique format of three distinct stage types, with tests that twist from one tight turn to the next up and down the steep vineyards that overlook the Mosel Valley, the smooth, fast Saarland stages and tank tracks lined by awesome ‘hinkelstein’ stones in the Baumholder military ranges, which themselves offer a patchwork of concrete, dirt and grass which has contributed to the event's reputation as the least asphalt of all asphalt rallies.

Last but not least, the Trier region is described by weather experts as 'dynamic'. The summer heat generates frequent storms, while the presence of highlands to the north (Eifel) and to the south-east (Hunsrück) forms a corridor along which the Mosel River flows and which tends to channel and speed up weather systems. Two years ago, one such passage was clocked at 90 kph! Rain can effectively move in with very little notice, drenching the stages in storms or randomly dampening portions of the route which then dry out very quickly once the clouds pass. Always delicate, tyre choices – which in some cases are made up to three hours before the start of the final stage of a loop – are particularly tough in these situations, making the Deutschland Rally a sort of summertime version of January's Monte Carlo…

Citroën has prepared for this encounter with its customary care which included four days of on-site testing in July during the week which followed Rally Argentina. Sébastien Loeb and François Duval took turns at the wheel for a programme of set-up fine-tuning and evaluation of the tyre solutions proposed by Michelin.

Thanks to this work, the Versailles-Satory based squad is ready to assume the role of favourite with which it has been tagged. Although everyone is aware that this is a challenging, indecisive event, their sights are firmly set on extending Citroën's winning run on German soil…

Citroen will return in 2007

Citroën has confirmed the rumours are true. The team that has dominated the World Rally Championship in recent years will return to the sport in 2007. Citroën, along Peugeot, announced earlier this year that this would be their last season due to escalating costs that Chairman of the Managing Board of PSA Peugeot Citroën, Jean Martin Folz, said could not be justified. The 2006 season will consequently be a year of transition with, on the one hand, the presence of a Citroën Xsara WRC for Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena run by a private team and, on the other, the re-staring of the new Citroën C4 WRC's development programme. Citroën Sport will return to the championship full time from 2007.

Xavier Pons is hoping to score points in what will be his fourth participation to the Swedish Rally, the second round of the World Rally Championship.

The Swedish Rally 2003 was your debuts in WRC? Tell us a bit more about this event…

“It was simply incredible! Before coming to Sweden, I had only competed in five rallies in Spain in my whole career. So you can imagine how I felt for my first World event… I was excited, nervous and without any experience on this terrain. My target was to reach the finish and I managed it. It was a fantastic time which I will never forget…”

You took part in the 2004 and 2005 editions, again with a group N car. What is your opinion about this event?

“I like this rally which I know quite well now. Of course for a Latin driver, the conditions aren't the best to perform. But I really enjoy driving on these very fast roads. It will be the championship's second round and I hope to score valuable points in spite of the fact I've never driven a WRC in such conditions and that I have everything to learn of the Xsara on snow.”

What do you expect there? Which are your goals for this event?

“I hope to progress throughout the rally. I feel really well in the team where everybody is very welcoming. The advice of Seb' and the trust that Marc Van Dalen has given me make me want to do the best I can. I've understood what this extraordinary team is expecting and I will try not to deceive anyone.”

Press release Citroen Kronos WRT

After finishing second at the Monte Carlo Rally, Sebastien Loeb is looking forward to the Swedish Rally, a race he won in 2004. The battle should be exciting once again this year.

What did you think exactly when you went off the road in Monte Carlo?

On spot, I really believed that everything was over! I insulted myself mentally… I thought about the lead we had built during the first leg, about the championship which wasn't starting the best way… In a word a big disappointment. Then we rang the team and they asked us how damaged the car was and then ‘Bing'! As I had never competed in ‘superally' before, I simply didn't think about it at all. I realised it wasn't really over yet. I ran back down to the car to check it carefully and Daniel started to calculate how much time penalty my mistake will cost us. Our motivation went up again. The next day when we left the service park, we were quite pleased as the good side of this situation was that we had almost nothing to loose. It was ‘no limits'… just to stay on the road and set good times. Actually, this recovery and this incredible finale made this Monte Carlo the most exciting we experienced.”

Have you thought about the fact this off is the second consecutive?

“Of course! Immediately! Straight way I was asking myself a lot of questions, and I tried to identify the reasons. Maybe I take a bit of distance with my sensations especially when the feeling with the car is excellent, just like it was in Australia. On the Monte, with tyres for dry roads, we know every corner can be a trap. It's not really a nice experience. This ‘off' won't have happened for nothing and I will try to learn from it.”

What are your memories of the Swedish Rally 2005?

“As there was no snow, I didn't enjoy it much. The Swedish Rally almost transformed into a gravel event, it's not much fun. In these conditions, we were loosing quite a lot of studs but we managed to keep contact with the leading duo. We were second when we were forced to retire. That said, even if I won in 2004, I still consider myself as a challenger in Sweden. The favourite is Marcus Grönholm. I'm dreaming of a straight battle with him this year, in thrilling conditions how they can be of this rally: this means sheet ice on the ground with high and thick snowbanks on the side to lean on. As the grip is consistent and excellent, you feel free to push hard and almost over drive as you know you can rely on the snowbanks sometimes. A big fight like that yes…and we will try to win it.”

Press release Citroen Kronos WRT

After the first six rounds of the 2006 FIA WRC, Sébastien Loeb, Daniel Elena and the Kronos Total Citroën team stand in first place in both Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ championships thanks to four consecutive wins. To defend these positions and to try to extend its winning streak, the Belgian team enters in Sardinia two 2006 specifications Xsara WRCs for Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena and Xevi Pons/Carlos Del Barrio.



Like it is the case since the start of the season, a third Xsara is entered by Dani Sordo and Marc Marti supported by their Spanish partners. The Junior World Champion participates with his usual car, in compliance with the 2005 regulations (electronic differentials).

For its third edition, the ‘Rallye d’Italia Sardegna’ keeps its specific repartition, with a challenging final leg including two loops of three special stages with just a regroup in between and no service. If the structure remains the same, the rally route changes and offers this year a first day in the South (Nuoro), a second going West (Gallura) and finally the last day in the North (Tempio).

“ For me, 52% of the pacenotes are new” declares Daniel Elena, who has equalled the biggest number of wins for a co-driver since Argentina. Most teams know extremely well the Sardinian terrain as they have been competing there since three years, and often use some of the roads for testing. They became familiar with the characteristic which was the most surprising at the start, that means the constant evolution of the sandy grounds. As usual, Citroën Sport’s test team has prepared the Xsara WRCs for the event with Sébastien Loeb and Xevi Pons. On that same test, the team has worked with the BFGoodrich technicians to try the tyre range.

Winner in 2005 and current leader of the Championship, Sébastien Loeb will start first on the road on Friday and will have to face the inevitable ‘road sweeping’ throughout the entire first loop comprising 65 competitive kilometres. “Usual strategy” has planned Seb . “And to be honest I only have one which is to start as fast as possible. After the first group of stages and on Friday night, we will see where we stand and what’s possible to try. In any case, I hope a fight for a win will still be possible…”

Xevi Pons has experienced various misfortunes over the past two gravel rounds. Having retired very early on a technical problem in Mexico, he had to stop during the first leg in Argentina after hitting something. Fortunately and thanks to the ‘superally’ regulations, he was able to compete in the next two legs and won his first world rally stage in difficult conditions. “For Xevi, the benefits were double” explained team principal Marc Van Dalen . “He could pile up kilometres on gravel and has set a fastest time, which will boost his confidence. He counts two participations in Sardinia and has also taken part in the pre-event tests… In a word, all the conditions are gathered for him to achieve a good result, important for him and for the team in the Manufacturers’ championship.”

Sébastien Loeb, Daniel Elena and their Citroen Xsara WRC took their fifth win of the season in Porto Cervo today. This latest victory – also their fifth in a row – marked the 25th success in 77 World Championship events for Kronos Racing’s famous franco-monegasque pairing.

"Victory always tastes sweet," said Seb, at the final service halt on the harbourside in Olbia. "But this one is special. For Daniel, it’s a historic moment. Knowing just how much I want to beat Carlos Sainz’s record myself, I can easily imagine exactly how Daniel is feeling now, after becoming the first co-driver to chalk up 25 wins"

The normally exuberant Daniel Elena was for once serious after he had posed for photographs wearing a football shirt in the colours of Monaco, emblazoned with the magic number of 25. "This feeling is indescribable," he explained with a smile. "It’s an intense happiness that is hard to put into words. I’d like to dedicate this record to my family, my daughter Dorine, and my friend ‘Beef’ Park"

Sébastien Loeb continued : "This win makes things very interesting from a championship point of view. I said before the rally that we had to stay on our guard. The start of this event showed that our key rivals, particularly Marcus [Grönholm], are well and truly up there – even if luck is not on their side at the moment. Taking our championship lead up to 31 points is therefore a good job. Thanks to Xevi Pons the Kronos Total Citroen team has also made a useful step forward in the manufacturers championship."

Xevi Pons provided the team with another solid boost by claiming the manufacturer points for third place. "Sardinia is a very difficult rally," said the Spaniard. "I feel less at ease here than I did in Argentina, maybe because of the narrow stages. This means that I still need to improve in this type of conditions. Securing the manufacturer points for third place was my priority since yesterday afternoon, so I was very careful throughout the second half of the rally. These points are the best way for me to repay the team for their limitless support from the start of the season."

After two consecutive podiums on the asphalt of Catalunya and Corsica, in Sardinia Dani Sordo claimed his first podium on gravel. "For me, this is almost worth more," he said. "Gravel is a surface that I am still learning, and I feel I am improving on it all the time. Last year, I took my first World Championship victory here with the Super 1600 Citroen C2. So I think it’s a rally that likes me ! The Xsara and its tyres were perfect, while the team was faultless. I tried hard not to make any mistakes myself, and I am very happy to have succeeded"

Kronos Racing team principal Marc Van Dalen concluded : "On a hot and rough rally where the walls take no prisoners, you need a competitive and reliable car. Thanks to the excellent work from Citroen Sport, Kronos Racing had exactly the right equipment. The crews and the rest of the team did not make a single mistake, maximising our potential and bringing us the sort of result that makes me very happy. Congratulations to everybody!"