Budar after the defeat of Citroën and Ogier: “The project looked difficult”

Citroën Racing experienced a nightmare weekend in Catalonia. If Esapekka Lappi retired due to engine failure, it was mainly the power steering problems of Sébastien Ogier who hurt the Reds. Forced to score more points than Ott Tänak (Toyota) to prevent him from being titled, the six-time champion WRC was only able to save an 8th place, which was insufficient to hope to threaten the Estonian.

Citroën Racing director Pierre Budar gives a realistic assessment of a mixed season for his team.

After @SebOgier's hopes of a strong points finish were dashed by a mechanic issue on SS2, @citroen – whilst its #C3WRC showed progress on tarmac – was unable to prevent the crews world titles being claimed by their rivals.

https://t.co/RlIpQnEqJ4
https://t.co/OQxnmBzBQ4 pic.twitter.com/2GyzunB1OB

— Citroën Racing (@CitroenRacing) October 27, 2019

“We were not up to the task collectively to fight and we must mobilize to further raise our level of performance if we want to be able to compete for a title next year, says the leader of the French team. The project that we started at the beginning of 2019, with new crews and a renewed technical team, promised to be difficult in the face of experienced training, with pilots already having experience with their horses. This is also why it has been long-term since the beginning. »

Citroën alternated between highs and lows with a good start to the season with a victory for Sébastien Ogier in Monte-Carlo and in Mexico. But the champion did not win again until Turkey, while Esapekka Lappi was never able to claim the top step of the podium.

“We started strong in Monte-Carlo where Sébastien and Julien (Ingrassia, his co-driver) are always formidable, before confirming in Mexico where Citroën has always been able to manage the heat and altitude parameter very well. Perhaps then we suffered a little from the youth of our team. Everyone had to find their bearings and agree on the direction to follow. We probably also did not know how to draw the quintessence of all the team's experience on asphalt, where we were not there in Corsica and then in Germany., He explains.

Citroën now hopes to take its revenge next year by optimizing the C3 WRC in particular.

“The 2020 season has already started for us, as we have several works already underway to develop the car from the first race of the year, confirmed Pierre Budar. All our development teams are on war footing so that we are able to be at the best level from this inaugural meeting. We have an intensive testing program which we reserve the possibility of further expanding. I hope that 2020 will allow us to reap the benefits of everything we have initiated this year, in any case we are doing everything we can. »

However, Citroën must take the blow after failing to win the title for Sébastien Ogier, who had been undefeated for six years.

“This weekend, we are all disappointed, even affected, as no one has ever stopped their efforts throughout these intense weeks. But we remain united, and we will learn new lessons from this failure, to continue to grow together and come back better.”, concluded the head of Citroën Racing.

Citroën will still have the Rally of Australia played on the weekend of November 17 to alleviate his disappointment. Mads Ostberg, who was scheduled for a 3rd C3 WRC for the final event, should not be there..

Discover the analysis of the Rally of Catalonia carried out by our special correspondent in issue 2240 of AUTOhebdo, available from Monday evening in digital version on all platforms, and from this Wednesday on newsstands.