CTWRT Mexique Preview

Rally México (4 – 7 March 2010) – Preview The Citroën C4 WRCs out to conquer Mexico! After a snowy debut, the FIA World Rally Championship begins a series of five gravel rallies in Mexico. As always, the Citroën Total World Rally Team will start the event with a single ambition – victory! Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena who finished second in Sweden are aiming for a fourth win on the trot in Latin America. Dani Sordo and Marc Marti also want to shine in front of a crowd that will be rooting for them! The World Rally Championship, more than any other, guarantees a complete change of scenery in every country it visits. After the cold, the snow and the pine forests of Rally Sweden the entrants will find themselves confronted with the heat, the dust and the sombreros of Rally Mexico. The only event on the American continent, which is back on the calendar, has again gone out of its way to put on a really impressive show. “It’s a very pleasant rendezvous. You can really feel that the organisers work flat out to make this rally a big event and the spectators always give us a warm welcome. The start in the streets in the historic centre of Guanajuato is one of the highlights of the season,” exclaimed an enthusiastic Dani Sordo. After a year’s break, Sébastien Loeb is also delighted to be back racing in this rally: “I’ve competed in all the events since the rally became part of the WRC in 2004. The first couple of years didn’t attract a huge crowd. Then people started to get interested in our sport and it’s now one of the most popular rounds of the season.” Loeb and Elena have not lost in Mexico since 2006, and they are tackling the rally determined to add another win to their tally. “We can’t really say that the championship’s got off to a bad start with our second place in Sweden but I’m not going to let Mikko Hirvonen open up a gap in the overall classification. A win would put us on level pegging”, said the six-time world champion. “The route’s an interesting one from a driver’s point of view. The stages aren’t too hard on the car and they’re a kind of digest of all the challenges in a rally with very quick sections, twisty ones and fliers ! Our C4 WRC will be very much at home on this type of terrain, which we know very well. But I’m not going to make any predictions as we haven’t raced in such conditions for six months. Mikko Hirvonen has made a lot of progress recently and he’s going to start the rally full of confidence and motivation. Last year, he lost the title by a point and I know he won’t give an inch this season! I think Dani will put on a good performance again. Although he’s a little less experienced than Mikko he’s improving at exactly the same rate. He’s got every reason to show what he can do and to win.” Dani Sordo is very motivated for the first gravel rally of the season: “I hope I’ll make the same progress as in Sweden! I’ll have the advantage of starting fourth on the first day, so the line’s going to be well swept by the first three. I hold all the aces and I won’t forget the job I’ve been given: namely, to score the maximum number of points for the Manufacturers’ World Championship title. Our rivals got off to a better start in Sweden, but we’re determined to catch them - now!” Three questions to Dani Sordo First of all, Rally Sweden. Were you happy or disappointed with your fourth place in the opening round of the season ? “It’s obvious that I’d have preferred to finish on the podium, but fourth place is a fairly normal one for me in a winter rally. What I do remember is that I had a very good first day. I’d prepared really well for this event and I was able to match Seb’s and Mikko’s pace right away on these very fast stages. Quite honestly, finishing the first day around ten seconds behind the leader was more than I’d expected. The next day I lost contact with the two leaders after a spin. And then we screwed up and lost third place.” You seemed very angry on Saturday evening! “Yes I was. It’s very annoying to be involved in a battle where every second counts and then to lose a minute pulling off a radiator shield that should have been removed before the start of the stage. It’s a mistake that’s all the more stupid as everything is done on board the car to make sure we don’t forget it. In fact, everybody was furious that evening! But we’re not going to go on about it for the rest of our lives; you’ve got to put it behind you and progress, Marc and I have forgotten this incident and we’re now fully concentrated on Rally Mexico.” Do you think you’ll be as quick on Mexican gravel as on Swedish ice? “I’ve always felt at home in Mexico. In 2008, my chances were dashed in the first stage when a suspension arm broke on a stone. After that, I set good times. This year I really believe I can make the same step forward on gravel as I did on ice in Sweden. I like this event very much - and not just because I speak the same language as the locals! The people are very enthusiastic and they make a huge effort to organise a great rally in Léon. I hope to be on the podium at the end!” Guide Rally México (round 2/13) – 4 – 7 March Surface : gravel Where : Leòn Pratical information : The service park and the Rally Headquarters are in the Poliforum Expo Center. The Media Centre is in the Expo-Feria on the Rally Campus. IThere is a 7-hour time difference between Mexico (GMT - 6) and France (GMT + 1). At 12h00 in León, it is 19h00 in Paris. On the first day of the rally, Friday 4th March, sunrise is at 7h04 and sunset at 18h52. In March, the temperature varies between 15°C and 30°C with dry weather. The local currency is the Mexican Peso (MX Pesos), 1 € = 20 MX Pesos. Technical info : The engines used in Mexico will also have to power the cars in Turkey and Portugal. Spare parts (gearboxes, differentials, front and rear cradles steering assemblies and turbos) will be shared with Rally Turkey. Tyres : 36 Pirelli Scorpion WRC Hard tyres will be allocated to each crew, including six for the shakedown. Reconnaissance : It is programmed for Tuesday 2 nd March from 7h00 to 18h00 and Wednesday 3rd March from 7h00 to 17h30 with a minimum of 2 runs through each stage. Maximum speed is 90 km/h unless road signs indicate otherwise. Shakedown : Thursday 4th March between 8h00 and 12h00 in San Juan de Otates, 15,9 kilometres from the service park in a 5,13 kilometre stage. Press conférence : Thursday 4th March at 13h30 in the Media Centre. Starting ceremony : Thursday 4th March in front of the Alhòndiga de Granaditas in Guanajuato at 20h00. Route : 884,58km long including 354,60 km timed. 22 special stages (11 different). Timing : Day 1 – Friday 5th March : 372,57 km including 137,24 km timed (9 SS, 5 different). Start: 7h00 – SS1 : ‘Alfaro 1’ (22,96 km) – SS2 : ‘Ortega 1’ (23,83 km) – SS3 : ‘El Cubilete 1’ (18,87 km) – SS4 : ‘Coca Cola Street Stage’ (1,50 km) – Service A (11h19 / 30 min) – SS5 : ‘Alfaro 2’ (22,96 km) – SS6 : ‘Ortega 2’ (23,83 km) – SS7 : ‘El Cubilete 2’ (18,87 km) – SS8 : ‘Super Special 1’ (2,21 km) – ES9 : ‘Super Special 2’ (2,21 km) – Service B (16h28 / 45 min) – Last car in parc fermé at 21h00. Day 2 - Saturday 6th March : 359,59 km including 158,82 km timed (9 SS, 5 différent). Start: 7h00 – Service C (7h15 / 15 min) – SS10 : ‘Ibarilla 1’ (29,90 km) – SS11 : ‘Duarte 1’ (23,27 km) – SS12 : ‘Derramadero 1’ (23,28 km) – SS13 : ‘Coca Cola Street Stage’ (1,50 km) – Service D (11h43 / 30 min) – SS14 : ‘Ibarrila 2’ (29,90 km) – SS15 : ‘Duarte 2’ (23,27 km) – SS16 : ‘Derramadero 2’ (23,28 km) – SS17 : ‘Super Special 3’ (2,21 km) – SS18 : ‘Super Special 4’ (2,21 km) – Service E (16h56 / 45 min) – Last car in parc fermé at 21h00. Day 3 - Sunday 7th March : 148,00 km including 58,54 km timed (4 SS différent). Start: 7h45 – Service F (8h00 / 15 min) – SS19 : ‘Guanajuato’ (29,13 km) – SS20 : ‘Sauz Seco’ (7,05 km) –SS21 : ‘Comanjilla’ (17,94 km) – SS22 : ‘Super Special 5’ (4,42 km) – Service G (12h00 / 10 min) – Finish at 12h10. Podium : Sunday 7th March at 13h00. Final Press Conférence : Sunday 7th March at 13h45 in the Media Centre. The crews before the rally: Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena : First WRC Rally: Spain 98 (Saxo Kit-Car / rtd) – WRC Rallies: 126 – Victories : 54 – Titles : 6 (2004 to 2009) Dani Sordo : First WRC Rally: Spain 03 (Mitsubishi Lancer / 18th ) – WRC Rallies: 72 – Junior title: 2005 (C2 S1600). Marc Marti : First WRC Rally: Spain 92 (Peugeot 309 / 21 st ) – WRC Rallies: 136 – Victories: 3 – Junior title: 2005 (C2 S1600).

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