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Back to September 2011 Motorsports News Archive
| 05-09-2011 at 08:00: Citroen Pushing For Their Seventh World Title | |
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Although the reigning world champions have been to Australia before, it has been first to Western Australia, where seven time World Champion Sébastien Loeb won in 2004 and then to the Tweed Coast area, where Loeb finished second in 2009 with his team mate, Sébastien Ogier finished in fifth place, and not they will run in the Coffs Harbour area. Add the lack of previous experience the event is effectively a mix of three different conditions, gravel, dirt and, for the super special stage, run on tarmac. Even that super special stage presents a new challenge, rather than just being run once or twice at the end of the event as is normal, it will be run six times with a total distance of 22 km, making it a significant part of the event as a whole. Nor are the stages consistent in their speed, such as in events like Finland, with Australia throwing at the drivers a tough mixture of fast and slow stages. For spectators of the event this combination of high speed cars, dirt roads, unpredictability and a lack of experience of local conditions will provide some of the most exciting thrills – and probably spills – of the season, something for which the World Rally Championship is justifiably famous, with cars routinely getting metres off the ground and flying through the air for more than 50 metres. Unlike other motorsports, there are no run off areas and sand traps alongside the roads used for the competition, with cars literally millimetres from victory and disaster at all times. The WRC Rally of Australia provides a unique opportunity to see this unique sport at close quarters and ‘live’. While the manufacturers’ title chase has Citroen well out in front with eight wins, the driver’s title is much closer because of those eight wins, Citroen’s two Sébastiens, Loeb and Ogier, have won four each, so Loeb has a 25 point lead over Ogier and snapping at Ogier’s heals is Ford’s Mikko Hirvonen. The younger Sébastien arrives in Australia fresh from winning in Germany and he will have another advantage, his team mate, Sébastien the elder, will be first on the road, which means he will be the ‘road sweeper’, clearing loose dirt and rocks of the roads giving the following cars a gripper – and faster – surface on which to drive. “I’m getting used to it on gravel!” said Loeb, for whom the stages will be slower and less predictable than for the drivers following him. “You just have to factor in this parameter. Obviously, we don’t know these stages, but it looks like we’ll have dry weather so I expect to lose a lot of time on the first day. But we’ve also proved that we can win despite this handicap, and we’re determined to score the maximum number of points in this rally. Thanks to our lead in the world championship, we don’t have to take a lot of risks.” Sébastien Ogier scored his first victory on tarmac in Germany and also went into second place in the Drivers’ World Championship. “On several occasions this season we’ve seen that a race can be turned on its head at any moment. So you have to stay concentrated and be ready to seize the slightest opportunity. I’m happy to be back in Australia, in a new event what’s more. In these conditions where experience is of less importance, I generally feel more at ease. I hope it’ll be the same thing in this round and that we’ll have a good scrap.” With a 91-point lead in the Manufacturers’ World Championship, the Citroën Total World Rally Team has a slight chance of clinching its seventh world title. To achieve this it has to stretch its lead to more than 129 points. As a double counts for 43 points, it’s on the cards! |
With Citroen winning eight out of nine events in the 2011 World Rally Championship with the Citroen DS3, the French car maker arrives in Australia this week for the World Rally Championship Rally of Australia in Coffs Harbour (8 – 11 September 2011) as the favourites and another 1-2 win could clinch their seventh world title. But this event presents a range of challenges that could provide an upset for Citroen’s run of wins.^ Back to top ^
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