Citroën Total World Rally Team

WRC team
Short_name = Citroën Sport
Long_name = Citroën Total World Rally Team

Base = Versallies, France
Principal = Olivier Quesnel [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ]
Director = Xavier Mestelan-Pinon [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ]
Drivers = Sébastien Loeb
Dani Sordo [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ]
Co-drivers = Daniel Elena
Marc Marti [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ]
Chassis = Citroën C4 [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ]
Tyres = Pirelli
Debut = 2001 [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ]
Cons_champ = 3 (2003, 2004, 2005) [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ]
Drivers_champ = 3 (2004, 2005, 2007) [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ]
Wins = 34 [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ]

The Citroën Total World Rally Team is the Citroën factory backed entry into the World Rally Championship.

History

1989

Team formed. [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ]

1990-2000

Assorted campaigns on the French Rally Championship along with assisting privateer entries into World Rally Championship events. [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ] Early cars included the Citroën AX. [ [http://www.rallye-info.com/carspecs.asp?car=266 Citroën AX Sport Specifications & History : Rallye-Info.com ] ] [ [http://www.rallye-info.com/carmake_profile.asp?make=13 Citroën Manufacturer Profile & Rally History : Rallye-Info.com ] ] [ [http://www.rallye-info.com/carspecs.asp?car=267 Citroën AX GTI Specifications & History : Rallye-Info.com ] ] Citroen Spain entered a Citroën ZX based WRC kit car into the 1995 Rally Catalunya, driven by Jesus Puras. [ [http://www.rallye-info.com/carspecs.asp?car=333 Citroën ZX 16v Kit Car Specifications & History : Rallye-Info.com ] ]

2001

In 2001, the Citroën Xsara T4 WRC debuted. [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ] Jesus Puras wins in Corsica. [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ]

The team also dominated in the JWRC with the Citroën Saxo. [ [http://www.rallye-info.com/carspecs.asp?car=354 Citroën Saxo Kit Car Specifications & History : Rallye-Info.com ] ]

2002

For the 2002 season, Citroën contested 8 of the 14 Championship rounds. [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ] The season saw driver Sébastien Loeb and co-driver Daniel Elena win the Monte Carlo Rally, only to receive a technical penalty at the finish, giving him second. He later won at the ADAC Rallye Deutschland. [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ] The team also got a third place finish on the Safari Rally with Thomas Radstrom. [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ]

2003

For 2003, Citroen entered their first full year in the World Rally Championship, taking the first event, Rallye Monte Carlo, with a 1-2-3 finish. [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ] Loeb won, Colin McRae took second and Carlos Sainz placed third. [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ] Loeb also won the Rallye Deutschland and Rallye Sanremo. Sainz won the Rally of Turkey. In their first full year, the team took the Manufacturers' championship. [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ]

2004

Drivers for 2004 were Loeb and Sainz. Loeb won the Monte Carlo Rally, the Swedish Rally, the Cyprus Rally, the Rally of Turkey, Rallye Deutschland and Rally Australia. [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ] Sainz won at the Rally of Argentina. Leob won his first Drivers' championship. [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ] The team took the Manufacturers' championships. [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ]

The team expanded their efforts to the JWRC with the Citroën C2.

2005

For the 2005 season, the primary drivers were Loeb and Francois Duval. [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ] In Turkey and Greece, Carlos Sainz replaced Duval. [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ] Loeb won the Monte Carlo Rally, Rally New Zealand, Rally Italia Sardinia, Rally Cyprus, the Rally of Turkey, the Acropolis Rally, Rally Argentina, Rallye Deutschland, Rallye de France, and Rally Catalunya on his way to win the Drivers' Championship. [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ] Duval took his debut win at the Rally Australia. [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ] Citroën took the Manufacturers' championship. [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ]

2006

Citroën took a one year sabbatical, while developing a new rally car. Loeb and joined Xavier Pons and third-driver Dani Sordo at the semi-privateer Kronos Citroen World Rally Team, which received significant support from Citroën Sport for their Xsara rally cars. [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ] Sordo was soon promoted to second driver, over Pons. Loeb again won the Drivers' title, despite missing events in Turkey, Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain, after breaking his arm in a mountain biking accident. [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ]
[
Citroën C4 WRC at the 2007 Rallye Monte Carlo]

2007

For the 2007 season, Citroën officially re-entered the World Rally Championship with the all new C4 WRC, driven by Loeb and Sordo. [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ] Loeb dueled with Ford's Marcus Grönholm throughout the year, only securing his record tying fourth straight Drivers' title at the final event, the Rally GB. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/world_rally/7123638.stm BBC SPORT | Motorsport | Rallying | Loeb lands fourth straight title ] ] Loeb won in Monte Carlo, Mexico, Portugal, Argentina, Germany, Spain, France and Ireland. [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ] Sordo ended the season in 4th place. At the end of the season, Guy Fréquelin retired as Team Principal, replaced by Olivier Quesnel. [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ]

2008

Loeb and Sordo continue as the team's drivers. [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/team_profile/708/citroen_total_wrt.html WRC, motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates ] ] At the 2008 Monte Carlo Rally, Loeb won. [ [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/news/159096-0/citroen_boss_loeb_put_in_a_perfect_run.html WRC: Citroen boss: Loeb put in a perfect run ] ] Sordo suffered from engine trouble, and was forced to retire. [ [http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/news/159096-0/citroen_boss_loeb_put_in_a_perfect_run.html WRC: Citroen boss: Loeb put in a perfect run ] ]

Gallery

References