Germany - Citroën Sport - PreviewThe 2007 WRC calendar's recent sequence of six consecutive gravel rounds has come to an end as the championship's regulars move on to Rally Deutschland, the second asphalt fixture of the season for which Citroën Sport has entered Citroën
C4 WRCs for
Sebastien Loeb/Daniel Elena and Dani Sordo/Marc Martí.
Like January's Monte Carlo Rally, the German round is regarded as a sealed surface event but, as Guy Fréquelin explains, it's not quite as simple as that: "Depending on the weather, it can be something of a lottery as far as tyre calls go. The conditions can vary so much on a single stage that choices can sometimes be even more difficult to make than on the Monte."
The main feature of Rally Deutschland is its cocktail of three distinct stage types which range from the labyrinth of narrow lanes and countless hairpins of the Mosel Valley vineyards, the soiled concrete, hinkelstein-lined tank tracks of the Baumholder military ranges and, finally, the fast and slippery Saarland stages, which this year's rally actually barely visits. In short, there is a little of something to suit all tastes.
"All these different surface types and the notoriously changeable weather make this a complex but interesting rally," says Citroën Sport's Technical Manager Xavier Mestelan-Pinon.
"To ensure our crews are as competitive as possible on all the different types of road, we work closely with them to establish a range of compromise set-ups that function across a broad spectrum of conditions. This will be the Citroën C4's first asphalt outing in warm temperatures. True, the weather was clear during the Monte Carlo Rally, but the asphalt was still cold and that is unlikely to be the case in Germany. We will also perhaps get to see how our car performs in anger on wet roads that offer little grip," he added.
Given the complex nature of the German round, it comes as no surprise to learn that
Sebastien Loeb/Daniel Elena and Dani Sordo/Marc Martí are somewhat on their guards.
"People see us as the favourites, the team to beat," exclaims Seb. "But it won't be easy. In fact none of my wins in Germany have been. I have had some big fights there over the years and I can't see our rivals making life easy for us this time round. For me, this event is always a special occasion because it takes place near my home region, Alsace, and I always have lots of supporters. I intend to give it my very best shot for them, as well as to try to notch up another win to put us back in the chase."
"I enjoy competing on asphalt, but it's difficult to consider the Rallye Deutschland as a typical sealed surface event," observes Dani. "It sometimes seems more like a gravel rally... with a bit of asphalt. It's so easy to be caught out by a hazard or by a storm. We will try to make the most of the C4's potential to score a top result, but that's no foregone conclusion."
Although the cautionary words of the crews, who came first and second here last year, may come as a surprise, Guy Fréquelin's don't: "It's difficult not be wary going into a event where there is so much at stake."
"OK, I believe we are capable of scoring the sort of result that would put us back in the running in both title chases. I am also convinced that our crews and the Citroën C4 WRC have the necessary credentials, and I have no doubts about the motivation and will to win of everyone at Citroën Sport. Even so, I refuse to get carried away; I know only too well that it only takes a tiny detail to throw everything wide open. We have prepared as well as we can for this event. It's now up to us to ensure we don't waste the opportunity," Fréquelin concluded.
Source Citroen Sport
