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Citroën World Rally Team

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Citroën Sport
Full nameCitroën Total World Rally Team
BaseVersailles, France
Team principal(s)Olivier Quesnel[1]
Technical directorXavier Mestelan-Pinon[1]
DriversSébastien Loeb
Dani Sordo[1]
Co-driversDaniel Elena
Marc Marti[1]
ChassisCitroën C4[1]
TyresPirelli
World Rally Championship history
Debut2001[1]
Manufacturers' Championships3 (2003, 2004, 2005)[1]
Drivers' Championships4 (2004, 2005, 2007, 2008)[1]
Rally wins34[1]

The Citroën Total World Rally Team is the Citroën factory backed entry into the World Rally Championship.

History

1989

Team formed.[1]

1990-2000

Assorted campaigns on the French Rally Championship together with assisting privateer entries into World Rally Championship events.[1] Early cars included the Citroën AX.[2][3][4] Citroen Spain entered a Citroën ZX based WRC kit car into the 1995 Rally Catalunya, driven by Jesus Puras.[5]

2001

In 2001, the Citroën Xsara T4 WRC debuted.[1] Jesus Puras wins in Corsica.[1]

The team also dominated in the JWRC with the Citroën Saxo.[6]

Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena

2002

For the 2002 season, Citroën contested 8 of the 14 Championship rounds.[1] The season saw driver Sébastien Loeb and co-driver Daniel Elena win the Monte Carlo Rally, only to receive a technical penalty at the finish, giving him second. He later won at the ADAC Rallye Deutschland.[1] The team also got a third place finish on the Safari Rally with Thomas Radstrom.[1]

2003

For 2003, Citroen entered their first full year in the World Rally Championship, taking the first event, Rallye Monte Carlo, with a 1-2-3 finish.[1] Loeb won, Colin McRae took second and Carlos Sainz placed third.[1] Loeb also won the Rallye Deutschland and Rallye Sanremo. Sainz won the Rally of Turkey. In their first full year, the team took the Manufacturers' championship.[1]

Citroën Xsara WRC at the 2004 Cyprus Rally

2004

Drivers for 2004 were Loeb and Sainz. Loeb won the Monte Carlo Rally, the Swedish Rally, the Cyprus Rally, the Rally of Turkey, Rallye Deutschland and Rally Australia.[1] Sainz won at Rally Argentina. Leob won his first Drivers' championship.[1] The team took the Manufacturers' championships.[1]

The team expanded their efforts to the JWRC with the Citroën C2.

Citroën Xsara WRC at the 2005 Cyprus Rally

2005

For the 2005 season, the primary drivers were Loeb and Francois Duval.[1] In Turkey and Greece, Carlos Sainz replaced Duval.[1] Loeb won the Monte Carlo Rally, Rally New Zealand, Rally Italia Sardinia, Rally Cyprus, the Rally of Turkey, the Acropolis Rally, Rally Argentina, Rallye Deutschland, Rallye de France, and Rally Catalunya on his way to win the Drivers' Championship.[1] Duval took his debut win at the Rally Australia.[1] Citroën took the Manufacturers' championship.[1]

Citroën Xsara WRC at the 2006 Rally Australia
Xavier Pons

2006

Citroën took a one year sabbatical, while developing a new rally car. Loeb and joined Xavier Pons and third-driver Dani Sordo at the semi-privateer Kronos Citroen World Rally Team, which received significant support from Citroën Sport for their Xsara rally cars.[1] Sordo was soon promoted to second driver, over Pons. Loeb again won the Drivers' title, despite missing events in Turkey, Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain, after breaking his arm in a mountain biking accident.[1]

Citroën C4 WRC at the 2007 Rallye Monte Carlo
Dani Sordo

2007

For the 2007 season, Citroën officially re-entered the World Rally Championship with the all new C4 WRC, driven by Loeb and Sordo.[1] Loeb dueled with Ford's Marcus Grönholm throughout the year, only securing his record tying fourth straight Drivers' title at the final event, the Rally GB.[7] Loeb won in Monte Carlo, Mexico, Portugal, Argentina, Germany, Spain, France and Ireland.[1] Sordo ended the season in 4th place. At the end of the season, Guy Fréquelin retired as Team Principal, replaced by Olivier Quesnel.[1]

2008

Loeb and Sordo continue as the team's drivers.[1] At the 2008 Monte Carlo Rally, Loeb won.[8] Sordo suffered from engine trouble, and was forced to retire.[9]

  • Team service area
    Team service area
  • C4 WRC at the 2006 Paris Motor Show
    C4 WRC at the 2006 Paris Motor Show
  • Loeb at the 2007 Rally GB
    Loeb at the 2007 Rally GB
  • Xsara WRC05
    Xsara WRC05
  • Loeb at 2005 Rally Cyprus
    Loeb at 2005 Rally Cyprus
  • Super 1600 Citroën C2
    Super 1600 Citroën C2
  • Sordo at 2006 Rally Japan
    Sordo at 2006 Rally Japan
  • Duval at 2005 Cyprus Rally
    Duval at 2005 Cyprus Rally

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates
  2. ^ Citroën AX Sport Specifications & History : Rallye-Info.com
  3. ^ Citroën Manufacturer Profile & Rally History : Rallye-Info.com
  4. ^ Citroën AX GTI Specifications & History : Rallye-Info.com
  5. ^ Citroën ZX 16v Kit Car Specifications & History : Rallye-Info.com
  6. ^ Citroën Saxo Kit Car Specifications & History : Rallye-Info.com
  7. ^ BBC SPORT | Motorsport | Rallying | Loeb lands fourth straight title
  8. ^ WRC: Citroen boss: Loeb put in a perfect run
  9. ^ WRC: Citroen boss: Loeb put in a perfect run
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