CITROEN TESTS UPDATES AHEAD OF TITLE RUN-IN
Drivers to make call on whether to introduce suspension upgrade on Rally GB
World Rally champion Sebastien Ogier arrives in Wales this week for a crucial pre-rally GB test, which will decide whether his Citroen C3 WRC will have suspension updates for the next round.
The Paris-based squad has a suspension step available for the French driver and his teammate Esapekka Lappi, but it won’t make a call on whether to fit the new parts until the completion of the three-day test.
Citroen has been working on upgrades to the C3 since the first half of the year and these improvements to the suspension and chassis had been scheduled for Rally Finland. Now team principal Pierre Budar says it is the drivers’ call after test driver Eric Camilli, Ogier and Lappi have completed their running.
“It depends on the result of the test if we will use the new parts,” Budar told MN. “It’s more in the suspension, chassis and differential. If it is giving us some additional positive points on the set-up for Wales we will use it. For sure we have to improve the traction and the grip, it’s regarding this.
“It’s quite a significant step if we use it – it is new homologated parts. Eric [Camilli] will drive the car on the first day of the test and give the engineers some data on how are the new parts. Doing it this way, he can try all of the parts and it means the drivers [Ogier and Lappi] don’t lose time on their set-up test trying new and different things.”
Ogier talked down the importance of this week’s running, saying: “We have nothing really new for the car. We will try to build on this positive result and try to be ready with a good car for Wales.”
The C3 WRC was right at the sharp end in Wales last year, courtesy of Craig Breen who eventually finished just off the podium in fourth place. Kris Meeke’s second place in a DS3 WRC four years ago was the last time the French firm took a top three, but it’s nine years since Citroen celebrated a win (Sebastien Loeb, C4 WRC, 2010).