Quentin Gilbert concludes his season in DS 3 WRC

As a reward for their overall performance at the wheel of the DS 3 R5 from Monte-Carlo to the Tour de Corse, they will have the opportunity to drive the DS 3 WRC, thus rubbing shoulders with the best drivers in the world in the premier category.

Le Rally of Great Britain, one of the most emblematic and popular rounds on the calendar, will be the epilogue of Quentin Gilbert's season in the World Championship. Started in DS 3 R5 during the Monte-Carlo Rally, with a third place, his WRC 2 program then took the Vosges to Portugal, Italy, Poland, Finland, Germany to conclude in Corsica, sixth in the category. Rewarded by Citroën Racing for this course, he will be at the wheel of one of the DS 3 WRCs. This will be his first appearance at the highest level of world rallying behind the wheel of a World Rally Car.

“I can’t wait to discover this and compete in this event! », enthuses the pilot from Châtenois. “I have already driven twice in a WRC but in the French Championship, it will be completely different here. I am very happy to have this opportunity during a rally like this, which I really enjoy; the course, the atmosphere, the difficult conditions, I like everything. I've been racing in the World Championship for four years and, even if it's my first time in the WRC in this context, I have my bearings and I don't have everything to discover. »

However, it has been more than two years since Quentin last drove a World Rally Car and he will need to regain some automatisms before the start of the event. “Having already driven in a WRC will still help me, I know what to expect in terms of power and braking. And Citroën does everything to make my job easier, ensuring that I only have to concentrate on driving. After the debugging and installation work in the DS 3 WRC, the Monday test session allowed us to be really comfortable. This will help us to quickly get into the rhythm of the competition and learn very quickly. »

Although he knows the chance offered to him to drive in the DS 3 WRC in Wales, Quentin Gilbert does not set any quantified objectives for himself before this World Championship classic. “We obviously expect not to compete with the best, that’s normal; they have much more experience and have driven in the WRC all year. For my part, the most important thing is to progress as the rally progresses and to finish as close as possible during the last stages. I want to see what we can do against drivers of our generation, with whom we have only crossed paths, without ever racing in the same categories. »

For his eighth WRC rally of the year, Quentin knows that preparation must be more thorough than ever. “I try to have a different approach: I intensify my physical preparation, I watch a lot of videos, I take advice from experienced people, I gather as much information as possible to be ready to take on the challenge. I would like to thank Citroën Racing once again for offering me this incredible opportunity, which I hope to make the most of. In the eyes of many people, it is the most difficult rally of the year; As for me, I hope it will be the most beautiful. »