Matton: “Working on the post-Loeb era”

Citroën WRT is preparing to defend its titles next week at Rally Monte Carlo. The organization of the French team has evolved significantly with the replacement of Olivier Quesnel by Yves Matton as principal director. Sébastien Ogier Having left for Volkswagen Motorsport, Mikko Hirvonen will be the new teammate of the eight-time world champion while Thierry Neuville and Nasser Al-Attiyah will do everything to showcase themselves for their first season behind the wheel of the DS3 WRC. A transition that will be difficult to manage for the former Citroën Sport team manager.

“Citroën Racing has won both Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ titles over the last four seasons”, recalls the new senior director on the official Citroën WRT website. “The objective is to continue this series thanks to our strengths: the DS3 WRC, our two crews and a united team behind them. That's the most obvious part. In addition, I have to work on “after Sébastien Loeb. Even if I am not at the origin of the agreement, the arrival of Thierry Neuville within the team will allow us to prepare for the future by training a promising young driver. As the brand's standard bearer, Citroën Racing must continue its internationalization to best represent the brand. To this end, the entry of Nasser Al-Attiyah in a DS3 WRC from the Swedish Rally will allow us to develop the notoriety of Citroën in the Middle East. »

Discover the interview with Yves Matton and the reasons for Olivier Quesnel's departure from Citroën Racing in the issue of AUTOhebdo currently on newsstands.