CITROEN IN SWEDEN: “CAN WE WIN? YES WE CAN!”
The World Rally Championship heads to Sweden this weekend (5-7 February 2004) and the Citroen team is looking forward to a repeat of its Monte Carlo win in January, with Sébastien Loeb hoping to extend his drivers’ championship lead and Citroen looking to take over the manufacturer’s title race from Ford, who finished second and third in Monaco.
But counting against the French team is that ice and snow is where they have least experience – this is, despite the fact they are reigning world champions, just their second full season in the sport –and this event has only ever been won by a Scandinavian driver. Also, counting against them is that last year’s event was unseasonably warm, which meant that Citroen gained even less experience than usual.
"We have worked hard based on what we have learnt from our two previous visits to Sweden, says Team Manager Guy Fréquelin.“That said, this is an event we only do once a year, so we have less benchmarks than we do for other types of surface. It's only once the rally gets underway that we'll see whether we are as good as we need to be. The Xsara has progressed on all fronts over the past year. It's improved in all areas, so it must also be better on snow. Can we win? Yes we can!”
Always a favourite with competitors, the Swedish Rally is run over the ultra-fast forest tracks of the rolling Värmland countryside. For the drivers, powering their WRC cars fitted with narrow wheels and heavily studded snow tyres at average speeds well in excess of 100 kph is sheer joy.
“It's a great rally from the driver's viewpoint,” says Sébastien Loeb. “To have the best chance of coming away with a top result, I just hope that the stage conditions won't be as cruel to me as they were last year because I'll be first on the road again on Day 1. You've also got to remember that Marcus Grönholm, to mention but him, isn't going to be easy to beat on what is one of his favourite terrains. On the other hand, we posted a fastest time last year, plus two second bests and four third fastest times. When the conditions were not unfavourable to us, we were on the pace. So given that the Xsara has unquestionably progressed, I hope I will be involved in the fight for first place. If I am, anything is possible!"
Another of the event's difficulties concerns stage conditions. The most feared scenario is a thaw which makes the roads' wintry cloak vulnerable to the emergence of gravel and stones. In 1990, the event even had to be cancelled because the weather was too warm! Meanwhile, even in sub-zero temperatures, the hardness of the surface can vary significantly. The ideal situation is sheet ice which puts competitors on an equal footing whatever their road position. Packed snow, even hard-packed, inevitably tends to rut with each passing car, a phenomenon that can put later runners at a disadvantage. Alternatively, fresh powder snow limits the ability of the studs to bite into the ice, in this case to the detriment of those who are first on the road…
Citroën's preparation for the second outing of the season included two test sessions in Sweden. The first took place during the third week of December and saw Sébastien Loeb and Carlos Sainz take turns at the wheel at a base near Arjeplog, on the southern fringe of the Arctic Circle. For the second session, near Umea, in the third week of January, the pair was joined by Philippe Bugalski, their work focusing on optimisation of the Xsara WRC's set-up (springs, antiroll bars, differentials). The programme also allowed the drivers to acquaint themselves with the latest evolution 'GA' and 'GE' tyres that make up Michelin's range for Sweden.
“I would dearly love to win this rally,” says Carlos Sainz. “First of all, the first 'Latin' to beat the Scandinavians in Sweden will make rallying history. Nobody has succeeded in doing it so far. It's also one of my favourite rallies. I always prepare for it with great care and then I do my best to win once it starts. Last but not least, driving in Sweden is undeniably one of the biggest thrills you can imagine!"
Questions to Guy Fréquelin…
Just like last year, your team has had to digest its success in Monaco yet also rapidly refocus on the job in hand…
"Our second consecutive win in Monaco was something of a feat. This year's event will go down as one of the toughest on record as far as stage conditions go. The Monte Carlo is a legendary event, one you've got to win. OK, we didn't come away with a hat-trick this time, but the media coverage was just as extensive because of our performances in Monaco over the past three years and also because of what I would call the 'Loeb' effect… That said, we knew we had to come back down to earth very quickly. The challenge that awaits us in Sweden, another winter rally, is just as atypical…"
It is said that if you want to win in Sweden, it's best not to win the Monte Carlo Rally so as not to be first on the road and serve as snowplough for your opponents…
"That's something we found out at our expense last year when all three Xsara WRCs ran first on the road during the opening day of the Swedish Rally. There's no getting away from the fact that Sébastien's performance will depend on the weather. I'm hoping for bright sunshine, temperatures well below zero and stages like skating rinks. This time, however, Carlos will be starting further down the order on Leg 1 which means we won't have all our eggs in one basket, and that could prove useful if conditions don't turn out to be those I have just described.Also, even the most solidly anchored traditions invariably end up by being broken…"
Are you pleased with the work your team has done in preparation for the Swedish Rally? What sort of result do you believe is possible? Can you win in Sweden?
"We have worked hard based on what we have learnt from our two previous visits to Sweden. That said, this is an event we only do once a year, so we have less benchmarks than we do for other types of surface. It's only once the rally gets underway that we'll see whether we are as good as we need to be. The Xsara has progressed on all fronts over the past year. It's improved in all areas, so it must also be better on snow. Can we win? Yes we can! We've already produced a few surprises in the past! As far as my objective is concerned, there is one important target which was underlined in Monaco: the need to get both cars to the finish. If we can do that, I will be happy if one of them finishes on the podium and the other inside the top-five…"
…to Sébastien Loeb…
On the Monte Carlo Rally, it looked as though you were able to do what you wanted with the Xsara WRC…
"It's true. It was really very easy to drive. The team had done a fantastic job to make the car perfect for the difficult stage conditions we encountered. I felt totally confident and that meant I could attack very hard, notably during the last stage of Day 1. The car was also very consistent and completely reliable. A real pleasure to drive…"
You took part in the team's two pre-Sweden test sessions. Do you think the car will be as good for the Swedish Rally?
"If you compare the step between the 2003 and 2004 Monte Carlo Xsaras on the one hand, and the car I drove in Sweden last year and this year's car, there is a bigger difference in the latter case. The Sweden-spec Xsara has evolved more. There's nothing unusual about that, but it's worth pointing out. In testing, I had a good feeling with the car and I am really confident in its potential. Our preparation went well. All that remains to be seen now is how we compare performance-wise with our rivals. And I must say I'm really looking forward to finding out…"
The Swedish Rally is an event you like a great deal. Do you think it is possible to score your first non-asphalt win here?
"It's effectively an event I enjoy. It's a great rally from the driver's viewpoint. To have the best chance of coming away with a top result, I just hope that the stage conditions won't be as cruel to me as they were last year because I'll be first on the road again on Day 1. You've also got to remember that Marcus Grönholm, to mention but him, isn't going to be easy to beat on what is one of his favourite terrains. On the other hand, we posted a fastest time last year, plus two second bests and four third fastest times. When the conditions were not unfavourable to us, we were on the pace. So given that the Xsara has incontestably progressed, I hope I will be involved in the fight for first place. If I am, anything is possible…"
…and to Carlos Sainz…
At the beginning of your World Championship career, Sweden was one of the events you dreamed of winning one day. Is that still the case?
"Yes, I would dearly love to win this rally, for a number of reasons. First of all, the first 'Latin' to beat the Scandinavians in Sweden will make rallying history. Nobody has succeeded in doing it so far. It's also one of my favourite rallies. I always prepare for it with great care and then I do my best to win once it starts. Last but not least, driving in Sweden is undeniably one of the biggest thrills you can imagine…"
What differences are there between the 2003 Swedish-spec Xsara and this year's car?
"The car has evolved quite a lot since 2003, principally in terms of its set-up. Basically, we have worked to make its handling more precise, while at the same time optimising traction. Obviously, it's only once the event has started that you can really tell whether your work has been in the right direction. The Swedish Rally was one of our toughest events last year. We were first on the road on Leg 1 and, in my case, I was still getting acquainted with the car. We'll see what happens this year. I feel confident…"
Talking about road position, the fact that you retired on the Monte Carlo Rally means you will be eighth on the road on Day 1 this year. In what circumstances is this likely to be an advantage or a disadvantage? What is your objective in Sweden?
"If its snows, a late starting position is definitely an advantage because the other drivers clear the road for you. If it's icy, however, it doesn't make that much difference. So you can say a low starting order is more likely to be an advantage than a handicap. It will be up to me to make the most of my position. As for my objective, I'll be looking to win of course!"
Facts and figures:
Swedish time is GMT + 1, as in mainland Europe.
First organised in 1950, the Swedish Rally has been a winter fixture since 1965. Since 1967, it has started and finished in Karlstad, a university town in the centre of the country, located on the northern shore of LakeVänern.
Rally action itself takes place in the Hagfors region which is situated about 100 km north of Karlstad. The rally's sole service park will be set up on the aerodrome, to the west of Hagfors.
The total length of the 53rd Swedish Rally's route is1981.68 km, of which 394.80 km is divided into nineteen special stages (12 different tests).
Recce takes place on Tuesday February 3rd and Wednesday February 4th(from 8:00 until 18:00).
The shakedown stage is 'Radar', situated 5 km south of the Hagfors service park (Thursday February 5th, from 08:00 until 12:00). The stage is 4 km long and identical to that of 2003, although this time run in the opposite direction.
Technical and administration scrutineering (13:00 - 15:00), the FIA press conference (15:30) and the start ceremony (19:00) all take place in Karlstad on Thursday February 5th.
The total length of the first leg is 702.75 km, including 145.80 km in special stages. Starting from Karlstad at 06:30 on Friday February 6th, the day features five stages, split into three 'groups': 'Lidsbron'/'Torntorp', 'Granberget 1' (the length of which has been increased to 52.57 km), 'Granberget 2'/'Hagfors Sprint 1 Super special'. Crews return to Karlstad from 19:29.
Leg 2 (Saturday 7th. Total length: 683.14 km) starts from Karlstad at 05:30 and includes 8 stages (152.40 km) split into four loops: 'Sundsjön 1'/'Malta 1', 'Fredriksberg'/'Lejen', 'Malta 2'/'Sundsjön 2' and 'Vargåsen/Hagfors Sprint 2'. Cars get back to Karlstad for the overnight halt from 19:36.
The third leg (Sunday 8th) starts from Karlstad at 05:30 (total length: 595.79 km). The rally ends with a menu of 6 stages (96.60 km) in the form of a single loop ('Såje'/'Rämmen'/'Hara') to be run twice. The finish ceremony will be held in Karlstad from 16:38.
This year will be Sébastien Loeb's fourth entry on the Swedish Rally: 2001 (retired, Saxo Challenge), 2002 (17th, Xsara WRC), 2003 (7th, Xsara WRC).
From nine starts, Carlos Sainz has finished six times on the podium in Sweden: 1995 (retired), 1996 (2nd), 1997 (2nd), 1998 (2nd), 1999 (2nd), 2000 (retired), 2001 (3rd), 2002 (3rd), 2003 (Xsara WRC, 9th).
The Swedish Rally has yet to be won by a non-Scandinavian driver. Prior to 1981, the Swedes were unbeaten on their home event. It was Finland's Hannu Mikkola (Audi Quattro) who put an end to their domination...
The most successful driver in the history of the event is still Sweden's Stig Blomqvist (7 wins).
Citroën's tyre partner Michelin will have two products for this event: the Michelin GA for snow and the Michelin GE for ice. The event's regulations allow these narrow tyres (10 cm) to be fitted with 380 studs. The distance they protrude from the tyre is not restricted.
(ends)
For further information:
Citroën Australia Media Web Site:
Miles Williams
/ Tel: (02) 9558 7111General Manager / Fax: (02) 9558 7722
Citroën Australia / Mob: 0419 800 520
E-Mail:
Edward Rowe
/ Tel: (02) 9558 7111Public Relations Manager / Fax: (02) 9558 7722
Citroën Australia / Mob: 0407 913 244
E-Mail:
Web site:
EJR/ejr/007
2/2/2004