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| 16-08-2011 at 07:00: Germany to Set or End a Record | |
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Given this record and Citroen’s run so far this season with the DS3, punters could be forgiven for making the Citroen crews the unassailable favourites. However, there is a big ‘but’ and that is that this is the first event on which the DS3 has competed on Tarmac. Citroen have, therefore, been testing hard on the unique conditions of the Rally of Germany during the mid-season break to ensure that they can break a record, not end a record run. Loeb, who started as a tarmac expert before widening his skill-set to include total domination of the sport, is pleased to back on the Rhine and amongst the vineyards. “Some tarmac at last,” smiles Sébastien Loeb dominant on this surface for more than five years. “I know that everybody will be gunning for me in Germany. We’ve never been beaten on these roads but the series will come to an end one day. It’s up to us to make sure it doesn’t! None of the sectors is alike. There are three very distinct parts with the military camp, the vines and the country roads. Generally speaking, the stages are very quick and demanding. We’re up against a real challenge. It’s vital to have good notes and to be in perfect synchronisation with your co-driver to win.” By winning the last seven rallies, Citroën has pulled out a lead of 65 points in the Manufacturers’ World Championship classification. Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena, who emerged victorious in Rally Finland at the end of July, lead the Drivers/Co-drivers rankings by 27 points. Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia are currently lying third, 31 points behind their team-mates. Sébastien Ogier has less experience than his team-mate and will start only his third Rally Germany, his second at the wheel of a WRC. “It’s an atypical rally with a lot of differences from one stage to the next,” underlines the Frenchman. “I like certain sections more than others. Although I was on the podium last year, I wasn’t able to match the pace of the winners. This year, we’re determined to show that we’ve improved.” During testing the former Junior World Championship was able to get a feel for the handling of his Citroën DS3 WRC. “The car felt good but racing and testing are two very different things. A priori, our rivals should be better armed than in previous seasons. We have to score more points than the current leader even if we know that he has racked up a remarkable string of results in Germany! In any case, it’s not going to be an easy rally.” The Citroën Total World Rally Team could also set another record in the ADAC Rally Germany. Another win would make Citroën the manufacturer with the highest number of victories in the World Championship (77 before this event). |
The 2011 World Rally Championship has seen Citroen re-write the record books again, with the Citroen DS3 achieving an unbeaten run of seven wins, the longest run of consecutive wins by one brand, but this weekend’s (19-21 August 2011) WRC Rally of Germany could see that record extended or the end of another record breaking run. Sébastien Loeb’s record of eight wins at the German round is an event that has never seen anyone else other than Loeb on the top step of the podium.
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