WRC

Citroën ready for Mexico's climate challenge

The Rally Mexico is expected to take nearly a hundred horsepower from all the cars, including the Citroën C3 WRCs of Sébastien Ogier and Esapekka Lappi, which benefited from intensive testing before the first gravel event in 2019.

Published on 04/03/2019 à 12:32

Medhi Casaurang

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Citroën ready for Mexico's climate challenge

The two typically winter rounds of the World Rally Championship (WRC) 2019 are behind the Reds; Now it's time for Mexico (March 7-10) for Citroën Racing. If the rally on land is the first in a long series (9 in total), the climatic conditions make it an atypical event in the calendar.

Indeed, the vehicles will drive at an average altitude of 2 meters, and will see their engine power lowered by more than 200%.. Driving errors will be punished more severely than elsewhere because reminders will logically be less effective. 

In addition, temperatures will fluctuate between 25 and 30 degrees in the air, which will complicate the proper cooling of the mechanics as explained Sébastien Ogier. " It is an event which apparently takes place on very beautiful tracks but you will still have to be careful on the second laps.

 

(They are) always difficult for mechanics, especially since the altitude not only deprives us of horses but also complicates cooling », analyzes the four-time winner of the event (2013 to 2015 and 2018).

The Frenchman, third in the general classification, 16 points behind the leader Ott Tänak, conducted two days of testing to prepare for the trip to Central America. “We were able to benefit from two good days of testing before the race, on roads fairly representative of the difficulties that await us. Luckily, the weather conditions were mild, although obviously not Mexican temperatures. 

After a complicated Rally of Sweden, which did not allow us to express ourselves, I can't wait to be there, and to be able to give our full measure this time. » His teammate Esapekka Lappi does not put pressure on himself despite his podium in Sweden. “My experience of Mexico is very limited, with only one participation in the race last year, in addition to the reconnaissance carried out in 2017. In this context, a top five would be a good result for me. 

 

Our starting order will give us an advantage over the very first, it's up to us to take advantage of it on this profile where even more than elsewhere, it's a question of being clean and efficient, because of the hundred or so horses that we have. let's lose because of the altitude. »

Medhi Casaurang

Passionate about the history of motorsport across all disciplines, I learned to read thanks to AUTOhebdo. At least that's what my parents tell everyone when they see my name inside!

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