Reactions – Sordo in the points… Loeb 50th

At the end of the first day of the 57th Swedish Rally, Dani Sordo and Marc Martí placed their Citroën C4 WRC in 7th position among the nominated drivers to score ‘Constructors’ points. Meanwhile, Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena withdrew from the stage following an off-road incident that was harmless for the crew.

As the engineers and mechanics of Citroën Sport were just beginning to settle into their reserved spot within the remote service area in Sunne, the news broke. The Citroën C4 WRC of Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena was reported stopped at kilometer 19 of SS4. Delayed, the reigning World Champions eventually managed to reach Sunne where they explained their misadventures.

The misfortunes of Loeb and Elena didn’t stop there. The rule during a remote service requires that the four mechanics authorized to work on the car only replace damaged parts with spare elements already found inside the car’s cabin. The team tried to repair everything it could, indicated the four-time world champion. However, without a skid plate, with reduced engine power and a defective clutch, we preferred to leave it there for today. The intercooler was damaged and it’s impossible to carry one with us at all times! That’s how the regulations are. It was up to us not to make a mistake.

At the wheel of the second car for the Citroën Total team, Dani Sordo/Marc Martí started cautiously this morning before gradually increasing the pace in the afternoon. « I knew I wouldn’t make up the five-minute penalty we took before the start to have a new engine », stated Sordo. « So I adopted a pace that allowed me to regain my feel on the ice and check my notes. More confident, I was then able to push harder and experience good feelings, which is encouraging for tomorrow. »

Frustrating, that’s the first word that comes to mind to summarize this day, concluded Olivier Quesnel. While everything was going remarkably well, Sébastien made a small driving error in an innocuous spot. This proves once again that nothing is won in advance, that they are tightrope walkers and that mistakes can happen at any time. He will restart tomorrow in SupeRally. Dani and Marc are adhering to the schedule we set and I am satisfied with their performance today. There are still two long days left, and Dani could still pick up some ‘Constructors’ points…

According to a statement from Citroen Sport