Reactions: Citroen is already on the provisional podium

At the end of the first day of the race, the Citroën Sport team places its C4 WRCs on the top two steps of the provisional podium of the Monte Carlo rally. Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena hold the first position. They are ahead of their Spanish teammates, Dani Sordo/Marc Martí.

Contested entirely at night, the short first day of racing included two special stages drawn on the slopes of the Vercors, east of Valence. Saint-Jean en Royans and its 28.12 km opened the debates, followed by the 17.58 km of the timed stage at Col de Gaudissart. In addition to the darkness, the teams had to face truly difficult road conditions with alternating sections of wet, frosty, and even icy surfaces.

Charging ahead first on the road, Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena initially recorded the second fastest time, conceding 3.8 seconds to their teammates, who were leading the rally after SS1. The order of the two C4s then reversed, with Seb setting the fastest time ahead of Dani. The Citroëns returned to the service park separated by 12.7s, with the gap to the third position already at 44s.

Olivier Quesnel: « Last year’s scenario seems to be repeating itself. We achieved two one-twos in the two very fast stages scheduled this evening. Our crews managed to make a difference on this tricky terrain where there were many ice patches in SS1. We decided to take an aggressive approach by carrying only one spare tire while our competitors had two, and it paid off. The rally is just beginning. Tomorrow, it’s almost a whole new race that starts with different types of stages. »

Sébastien Loeb: The atmosphere when driving at night is always special. These two stages are truly magnificent. The large number of spectators further enhances the pleasure of being in this atmosphere. I didn’t feel completely comfortable in SS1. The humid sections had started to freeze since the pass of our opening team. They warned me, and I sometimes had to drive a bit defensively, expecting to find frost or ice under my wheels. I also thought it would be “easier” in the next one where we drove hard. We are leading, but we must not get carried away. Our Pirellis performed well. In such conditions, this is not really a surprise. We will see tomorrow what their true potential is.

Dani Sordo: « In the first stage, we drove very well. The grip was relatively good, which allowed me to drive with confidence and push hard. At the end of the stage, I hit a hay bale which made me lose a few seconds. In the second stage, on the contrary, the road conditions had changed since our openers passed and I couldn’t find the right feeling. The competitors who started ahead of us also brought snow onto the road by cutting into some corners, which is why I was cautious. I preferred not to take any risks. The rally is still very long, and it was important that both Citroëns were on the podium this evening. »

According to a press release from Citroen Sport