Q&A
Why didn’t Citroen sign Sebastien Ogier?
CT: “We believe we have a great driver called Kris Meeke. He has demonstrated through the two wins last year he is a very fast driver. But we need to help him have a car in which he is completely comfortable and make sure the team is calm, serene and confident.”
You had the chance sign Andreas Mikkelsen, but you were not able agree on money?
CT: “It’s quite astonishing how you always bring problems back to money. Life is not only about money. I know why you are talking about money, it’s because you are making the short cut by saying: ‘Because you are not giving them [the team] money they couldn’t get Ogier.’ But if you look in an objective way, why we failed in 2017 wasn’t because we didn’t have Ogier, it’s because we did not fine-tune the car; because the engine broke in Corsica and because we did not create a climate of serenity.
“In 2017 our problem was not the speed of the fastest driver. We always invest in young talent: If we don’t do this, we will not have more Loebs and Ogiers in the future. By the way, Mr Breen made a very good season last year, very regular always ending the rally in a good position and his overall performance was very, very good.”
Would Ogier have interrupted the serenity?
CT: “I don’t think so.”
But you can’t win the manufacturers’ title with only two drivers…
CT: “If we are to do it on maths, we are not sure. In terms of probability you might be right, but in motorsport, from time to time, probability can be shaky. But perhaps, yes if I’m lucky.”
You take Breen out for three events. How does that fit your strategy for young drivers? CT: “Because it’s three – it’s not six or seven [events].” But Corsica is Craig’s best chance to win?
CT: “But Loeb is a member of our family as well.”
But he’s not a young driver…
CT: “Sure, but he’s a member of our family.”
Was the result last year the reason you parted ways with Yves Matton?
CT: “Yves Matton is a great sportsman and if you ask him: ‘Do you think 2017 was a success?’ What will be his answer? He will say: ‘Well, not so good.’ It creates an opportunity for a change in leadership with perhaps another style with very sharp understanding [in Pierre Budar].” I appreciate what you’ve said about budget, but you tested in France for a rally in Wales and cancelled tests because of cuts. Didn’t that cost chances for results? CT: “No. What you [we] demonstrate is that, in your organisation, you have people who don’t understand where we are going. The point is not to cancel the test, the point is to find the savings and productivity that allows you to make the test by sharing some of the things with the other [PSA Group] brands.”