Monte-Carlo Rally – Cyril Abiteboul: “A lot of pride”

Isn't that the best way to start the championship?

This puts us in a good dynamic. It is one of the most complicated rallies on the calendar. This gives us some interesting insights. We must not forget that we experienced engine calibration problems which greatly bothered Ott (Thank you. Editor’s note). There will also be work to help Andreas Mikkelsen. We have lots of things to do in the coming weeks.

What does this victory inspire you?

Lots of pride. For our crews, especially the co-pilots who are hard workers. It doesn't always pay off, but this time the reward is great. I think the team was outstanding in their planning and execution. We did everything right. We were perhaps a little below in terms of the information delivered on Friday, but we made a step forward on Saturday in terms of precision. It paid off on 3^e day and we reproduced it on Sunday, with the same result. I felt that everyone was very motivated and looking to improve step by step.

You often say that there is always a Toyota in front. This time, they are two behind…

They were in front for a good part of the weekend, but it's true that in the end it was us who won. We felt we had the pace to do well. The mistakes of Thierry and Ott initially prevented us from showing our level, but then we managed to move ahead. I like to compare years and last year we were beaten quite well. So it's good to finish on top. This allows you to measure the progress that has been made.

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