Reactions: Citroën and Loeb at Monte-Carlo received 5 out of 5

Sébastien Loeb and his Monegasque co-driver, Daniel Elena, win the Monte Carlo Rally for the fifth time in their career, driving their C4 WRC. By achieving this unique feat, the Citroën team definitively enters the legend of the oldest and most prestigious rally in the world. Re-entering in SupeRally this morning, Dani Sordo and Marc Martí finish in 11th place, bringing a valuable ‘Constructors’ point to Citroën.

This second consecutive victory for the Citroën C4 WRC on the legendary roads of Monte-Carlo adds to the three previously won by the Xsara. This success owes much to the talent of Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena, who delivered the perfect race, explained Olivier Quesnel at the finish. This new triumph in this challenging opening round of the WRC Championship rewards the tremendous work done by all members of the Citroën Sport team.

The short stage on Sunday – 69.65 km against the clock – could still hold surprises with its two passes through the Col du Turini. Well-focused, Seb and Dani made no mistakes in the first 4 stages, before completing the final two laps of the superspecial in the Principality. By winning, Seb and Daniel achieve the feat of surpassing Walter Röhrl, Sandro Munari, and Tommi Mäkinen, all of whom have four victories.

On the Monaco port, on the podium at the princely palace, then in the press room, the smiles never left the faces of Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena, who were visibly very happy. “The 37th in the world? The 5th here?… Yes, undoubtedly…” exclaimed Seb. “More than the statistics, what I especially remember is the way we imposed ourselves. Our C4 worked perfectly on this asphalt-oriented rally. The settings adopted at the beginning of the rally turned out to be excellent, which shows that we had worked well in advance. The association between the C4 and the Pirellis proved positive on these often wet roads. It’s always nice to start the season with a victory. However, I’m not getting carried away, because more challenging races await us.”

Forgetting his troubles, Dani Sordo also had a positive assessment of this event. « We were the only ones who managed to keep up with Sébastien’s pace. Our car was once again remarkably effective on the tarmac. I also appreciated the performance of the tires, which were a big unknown before the start. Finally, I am happy to contribute a ‘Constructors’ point to Citroën. »

« Making my debut as the director of Citroën with a victory at Monte-Carlo is a huge satisfaction », concluded Olivier Quesnel. « This allows us to start on a good foundation in both Championships. However, I remain realistic and I do not forget that asphalt often suits us very well. As soon as the next rally in Sweden, a completely different challenge awaits us. On this slippery surface, our opponents will undoubtedly be formidable and the race probably more open… »

According to a Citroen Sport press release