Yeo
Zorce Jedi Master
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 1936
Location: Far Rockaway, NY
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 Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2005 8:57 am Post subject: Citroen puts 2007 C4 to the test |
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No sooner had Citroen scored their back-to-back World Rally Championship manufacturers' title, the dominant team was ready to test their future WRC car with their top rally star team of Sebastien Loeb and Daniel Elena.
"After a few kilometres, I felt confident despite the tricky road conditions. The car is well-born and easy to drive," commented Loeb on his first impressions of the new car. "It's a Citroen and it has been designed according to the WRCs regulations which means there are similar points with my usual car, such as the engine noise for example."
The twice WRC champion duo were at the wheel of the C4 WRC in the Var region in France. The Frenchman and his co-driver from Monaco took over the testing on the third day after Citroen's test driver Philippe Bugalski covered over three hundred kilometres over the first two days with perfect weather conditions.
The newest Citroen C4 WRC, based on the newly developed C4 Coupe, will make it's debut in 2007 after the team takes the earlier announced one-year hiatus.
Just over one year ago, the PSA Peugeot Citroen group, parent company to both French teams, had announced the departure from WRC for both manufacturers at the end of the 2005 season. Peugeot will move into sportscar racing in 2007.
In late October, just prior to the start of Rally Catalunya, the French marque announced that they would return in 2007 with a new WRC car. The change from a permanent departure to the return was based on the changes made by The World Council of the FIA (F�d�ration Internationale de l'Automobile), notably the measures which were aimed at cost savings.
"Since the Rally of Catalunya and the announcement of Citroen's comeback in 2007," explained Guy Frequelin who agreed to remain with the team to oversee the testing and development. "The whole team, including Sebastien, was motivated and very impatient to see the C4 WRC drive again."
On the third day of testing on the tarmac course, the perfect weather conditions changed which than gave Loeb the opportunity to drive over slippery roads after enjoying a bit of time under dry conditions. The rain definitely changed the face of test runs.
"Regarding the handling, I would say the suspension works well as far as vertical travel is concerned, which makes the car comfortable and efficient," explained Loeb on his one day test of the new car.
"The general balance is really different from what I know. C4 seems to be at ease in the slow sections," he added. "Generally speaking I think we have an excellent basis to start working, and that I enjoyed very much this first time!"
The man who has overseen the engineering of the future WRC car was pleased with the input that the champion handed over after testing the car including running it in both dry and wet conditions.
"Seb has discovered a car of a different size with wide tracks as allowed by the regulations, new ergonomics inside the car, and a driving position further of the windscreen," commented Xavier Mestelan-Pinon.
Even with the unexpected change in the road conditions, Citroen's first test of their newest WRC car was a considerable success.
"For the technical team, the first kilometres of a driver behind the wheel of a new car will bring a huge quantity of information," explained Mestelan-Pinon. "Furthermore we experienced changeable road conditions, and so we've found what we were looking for."
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