Citroën: the starting order of the first stage, an opportunity to be seized

Two weeks after an event fought under the polar cold of Sweden in a very fine manner (Craig Breen and Scott Martin 2nd, absent this week), the official Citroën team is approaching the Mexico meeting with even greater ambitions. With two crews whose watchword is experience, the French brand will seek to record the C3's first victory in 2018.

Ce Rally of Mexico marks the return of Sébastien Loeb et daniel helena. The nine-time world champion duo WRC knows the mountainous trails of Central America well, having raised his arms there six times between 2006 and 2012. “I have every hope of having fun on these special stages that I have always loved, at the wheel of a C3 WRC that I find exciting to drive”, explains the Alsatian, who benefited from trial sessions in February in Spain.

Best pictures of @SebastienLoeb & @DanosElena test days! #WRC pic.twitter.com/Y3QLoNo853

— Citroën Racing (@CitroenRacing) 24th February 2018

“I covered almost 500 kilometers over two days, I found the C3 WRC well balanced, and I have the feeling that it has improved further since my drive at the end of 2017. I tried to put every chance on my side by first doing a run in the DS3 WRC to find the automation, and by watching the on-board videos from previous editions. »

Sébastien Loeb approaches this comeback with a relaxed spirit. “I ask myself the same questions as everyone else: even if I hope to evolve at a good pace, I don't know where I'm going to be, so I'm looking forward to it! You must nevertheless be aware that this remains a world championship, the other drivers did not wait for me all these years (his last WRC event dates back to Monte-Carlo 2015)… ”

The official driver Peugeot Sport en World RX has nevertheless carefully prepared the Mexican route. « I will discover 28% of the course, compared to 4% for the others, which is rather positive because it is one of the tests that I still know best, but the memories I have of these 72% already covered go back six years, so I worked a little to not not arrive completely disoriented. I hope that my starting order on Friday (11th) will help me get my bearings, because with the current regulations, you have to succeed in your first stage otherwise your race will be compromised. »

In the service park, Sébastien Loeb will make common cause with Chris Meeke. The Irishman, winner on these tracks last year, had caused quite a scare to his team, as Daniel Grataloup, sporting coordinator of the Reds, explains. “I remember Kris's last eventful special in 2017: there is often a small gap between the TV images and the reality of things, so I prefer to follow the action with my eyes glued to the tracking and the falling times. But suddenly, I hear the team around me letting out a scream, and the first image I see is the exterior on-board camera rotating in the bushes, as if the car had rolled over. There, I tell myself that it is lost. »

“Then we then see him trying to find his way in the parking lot among the spectators, and it's a completely opposite feeling that overwhelms me when he finally manages to reach the finish very close, with enough lead to win anyway ! What an emotional elevator » remembers François Delecour's former co-pilot.

Uneasy in Sweden (abandonment), Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle will want to get off to a good start in Mexico. “It's a terrain that I like: if you don't have full power (due to the altitude), you have to be as clean as possible in your driving. I am also quite happy with our latest tests, we have made further progress, especially on damping in collaboration with Öhlins. We will have to take advantage of our seventh position on the road on the first day, this is one of the keys to a good result. »