Citroen WRT

**Duvel** · 20th December 2017, 18:22

Originally Posted by AnttiL

Good point from KiwiWRCFan

https://twitter.com/KiwiWRCfan/statu...83107075751936

This year they had 10 different driver/car lineups.

True, as a driver (in this case Breen) i think its better to know your given program than to find out during the season. Now Breen can go and find solutions for those rally's, lets hope he can get budget for PH car.

**AnttiL** · 20th December 2017, 18:38

Originally Posted by pantealex

What did they plan year ago?
Full season for Meeke?

I think it was planned in advance that they would do the long haul events in Mexico and Argentina with just two cars, and that the two first events would have DS3 as the third car. They had four cars in Portugal, maybe Al-Qassimi was supposed to do all his drives as a fourth car?

**Norm75** · 20th December 2017, 18:51

Originally Posted by tomhlord

Clever from Loeb with event selection. Will be fascinating to see how he gets on, something to savour.

Or shows a lack of confidence by Citroen that they can turn the car round. Would be a bit embarrassing if they provide him with a piece of shit car that sends him into hedges backwards, not good publicity.
Safer to do rounds where they know the car works ok.

**jacko** · 20th December 2017, 19:53

This announcement makes it clear for me that Citroën is on a split (doubt) about the WRC-future. And i think they will end this year (in the end) as a full-manufacturer and continu privat with PH in 2019 with the 2018 cars.
And i believe now that's the reason there was never serious a question to hold Mikkelsen in the team because there is no future. Also i believe that's why Ogier never really was in question. Why wanted Citroën so badly him if they now showing this line-up for 2018? I think it was only for the show and public but Ogier was never a serious option and Ogier knews that and played the game for his own negotiation with Ford/M-sport.

What's Citroën doing now in 2018? Only Meeke is a contender for some wins but not for the championship, it can't be. Breen is good and fast but he has still some work to do to fight for the podium and he he's missing as it seems rounds 3 & 4. Loeb, i can't see if he will be fighting with the others although he has a good start-position for Mexico and Spain, also proven strong events for Citroën. It's super to have him (Loeb) back in the WRC but i would say Breen at least needed that second car all-season, also with that gives Citroën a dign to the rivals that they still believe in all championships with the third car in the switch between Loeb, that Al Qassimi guy and a specialist like (i know it's too late but i have to mention him to get my point) Tidemann, Hanninen or other Scandinavian fast one (and Lefebvre in MC).

But now it's not good this signal Citroën is given, a nice press-release can't fixed that, Citroën isn't obviously really invest in the WRC anymore if you look at the drivers and line-up for 2018, also in particular that there isn't a third WRC-car for Lefebvre for the first round. Rally Monte-Carlo is a typical one, a lot will happen, you need at least three cars i think in the game here and he's French wich counts and the experience here. I don't get it because the R5 is comming later on this season. The third car is available, so bring it on at least in MC would you say. But not obviously.

Still happy to have Citroën cars in the startlist but i think 2018 is the last season and 2019 with PH-sport and then it's goodbye and only R5 time.

**EstWRC** · 20th December 2017, 20:46

Lol https://twitter.com/lindajackson/sta...42277414313985

**AndyRAC** · 20th December 2017, 20:55

You have to be concerned that this is the last real year as a proper Manufacturer team. The question to ask is, why aren't they getting a bigger budget?

**steve.mandzij** · 20th December 2017, 21:19

Originally Posted by AndyRAC

You have to be concerned that this is the last real year as a proper Manufacturer team. The question to ask is, why aren't they getting a bigger budget?

2017 must have cast a huge shadow of doubt over the team's management, so surely funding is being carefully administered to avoid throwing money away again.

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**EstWRC** · 20th December 2017, 23:08

I don’t usually post these but this looks really good https://twitter.com/rallyaustralia/s...06477213667328

**TheFlyingTuga** · 21st December 2017, 01:49

Originally Posted by EstWRC

I don’t usually post these but this looks really good https://twitter.com/rallyaustralia/s...06477213667328

That was made even before the real car was presented. And I do think it looks good because it has the fenders as it should be, not does horrible round things they have

**Watson** · 21st December 2017, 05:50

What I find troubling is that they don't even hand a full season to Breen. Just put him in a third car like the Sheikh. A real lack of ambition, the team isn't even allowed to redeem itself. If you wanna get anywhere in the manufacturer's you need a third car to pick up the scraps since the two other drivers need to push and any one of them is preety likely to drop out, especially when your car has a temper like the C3 does.