The World's best come to New Zealand

This weekend (6-9 May 2010) New Zealand Motorsport fans will have a unique opportunity to see the world’s leading rallysport team first hand with Rally New Zealand taking place around Auckland.

Sébastien Loeb and his co-driver Daniel Elena arrive in New Zealand with a solid lead in the World Rally Championship and Citroën are also dominating the race to the manufacturer’s title. But with six world titles already to their credit, Loeb and Elena, are not only the unchallenged as the most successful rally driver and crew of all time, in a matter of months they could match Michael Schumacher ‘s record seven world titles.

Equally, their Citroën C4 WRC is well on its way to matching its predecessor, the Citroën Xsara WRC as one of the most successful motorsport cars of all time.

The one thing Loeb and his team mate, Dani Sordo, can’t improve on is their performance in the last Rally of Zealand. In 2008 the Citroën team dominated the event and finished with Loeb in first place and Sordo on the second step of the winner’s podium.

After finishing second in Sweden, the season opener, Loeb won the next three rounds in Mexico, Jordan and Turkey, so it’s no surprise to find him leading the Drivers’ World Championship, while the Citroën Total World Rally Team is in front in the Manufacturers’ one.

Sébastien has a 40-point lead over his closest pursuer and he will leave Auckland leading the championship, no matter what the result.

“Everything’s gone well for us in the early part of the season,” smiles the Citroën driver. “The fact that our main rivals have shared the runner-up spots has helped us to open up a gap in the overall classification. Even if we’ve won the New Zealand Rally on two occasions I’m still being a bit cautious, as our rivals are usually very strong on this type of surface. Whatever the case, I’m really looking forward to racing in this event. The stages are magnificent and fairly easy on the car; it’s one of the rallies where you get the most pleasure out of driving.

Dani Sordo has had an up-and-down start to the season with two fourth places and two retirements. The Spaniard has always been on the pace in terms of sheer performance, but he hasn’t yet managed to turn this into results.

“I hope that Lady Luck’s going to smile on me at last and that I’ll be back on the podium,” he states. “We’ve been among the front-runners in all the events so far; there’s no reason why it should be any different in New Zealand. What we’ve been lacking is just that little bit of success to transform our potential into results for the team. I’ll devote myself to continuing in the same vein in this event that I really like.”

Rally New Zealand has been on the World Championship calendar since 1977, and is one of the World’s classic rallies.  The gravel roads are quick and really sort out the men from the boys: the drivers love them, and so do the photographers. The Whaanga Coast stage on a cliff bordering the Tasmanian Sea is considered by many as the most beautiful spot of the World Rally Championship season.

The 2010 event marks a return to Auckland. The service park will be located on the port near the facilities used for the Americas Cup. The route promises a very varied challenge with three service parks in Whangarei (Friday), Hampton Downs (Saturday) and Raglan (Sunday).

Three questions to Citroën Sport Team Director, Olivier Quesnel

Rally Turkey was a very exciting event to follow and the pace wasn’t dictated by the usual questions of strategy. Are you happy about this?

“It’s absolutely true. This rally was run in perfect sporting conditions. I think it’s what the teams, drivers, media and the spectators prefer. Rally Jordan showed the limits of the regulations! Malcolm Wilson, the Ford team manager and I concluded a gentleman’s agreement not to have drivers clocking-in in advance so that they would sweep the road. The Stewards of the Meeting of Rally Turkey also made it clear that any manoeuvres harming the image of the sport would be penalised. All this allowed us to have a great weekend in terms of sport. We’ll see what happens in New Zealand where the positions on the road could be crucial.”

How would you judge the Citroën drivers’ start to the season?

“With 93 points scored out of a possible 100, Sébastien Loeb is true to himself! People often ask him if he’s not a bit blasé but I can tell you that he’s as motivated as ever to win his seventh world title on the trot! Dani Sordo’s results are a bit more irregular. I hope he’s got the monkey off his back for the season and that he’ll make his usual contribution to the team. His retirement in Turkey is a perfect illustration of his lack of success. All the leading drivers went off in the same spot, but he was the only one who damaged his car. In each rally we’ve been surprised by Sébastien Ogier’s continually improving performances. He just gets on with the job, listens, learns and progresses in each rally. It won’t be long before he scores his first victory! I’m also very happy with Kimi Räikkönen’s progress. He’s slotted into the team very well and he’s had two good races in Jordan and Turkey. That’ll help give him confidence for the second part of the season.”

Yesterday, the FIA published the 2011 World Championship calendar. What do you think of it?

“It's a coherent and interesting that includes car markets that are important for Citroën. We’re happy to see the return of historic rallies like Greece and Argentina and the fact that the French round has been kept. We’ve also noted the fact that the FIA reserves itself the right to add a fourteenth round to the calendar, and it would be a nice surprise if it were to happen.”

General Information

Rally New Zealand (round 5/13) (6th – 9th May)

Surface: Gravel

Where: Auckland

Practical info: The service park is on Queens Wharf. The PC and Media Centre are in Skycity Auckland, Corner Victoria and Federal streets. There is a 10-hour time difference between New Zealand (GMT+12) and France. At 12h00 in Auckland, it is 2h00 in Paris. On Friday 7th May, the first day of the rally the

sun will rise at 7h05 and will set at 17h29. In May, the temperature varies between 10°C and 20°c with occasional showers. The local currency is the New-Zealand dollar (1 euro = 1.85 NZD).

Technical notes: The engines used in New Zealand have already been used in Sweden and Jordan. The spare parts (gearboxes, differentials, front and rear cradles, steering racks and turbos) were also used in Jordan.

Tyres: 36 Pirelli Scorpion WRC hard tyres will be given to each crew including 6 for the shakedown.

Reconnaissance: It is scheduled for Tuesday 4th May from 7h30 to 18h00, and on Wednesday 5th May from 7h30 to 14hj00 and Thursday 6th May from 9h00 to 9h30 with a maximum of 2 runsthrough each stage. Maximum speed allowed is 70 km/h except where signs indicate a lower speed, and 30 km/h in the super-special.

Shakedown: Thursday 6th May between 9h30 and 13h00 in Auckland Domain in SS9.

Press conference: Thursday 6th May at 13h30 in the Media Centre

Start: Thursday 6th May from Viaduct Harbour at 18h30.

Route: 1496,51 kms including 396,50 timed kms, 21 special stages (12 different). Timing: Day 1 – Friday 7th May: 556,75 kms including 159,18 timed kms (9 SS, 6 different). Start: 7h15 – SS1: Waipu Gorge (11,09 kms) – SS2: Brooks 1 (13,60 kms) – SS3: Bull 1 (32,56 kms) – SS4: Cassidy 1 (22,20 kms) – Service A (12h50/15 min) – SS5: Springfield (9,78 kms) – SS6: Brooks

2 (13,60 kms) – SS7: Bull 2 (32,56 kms) – SS8: Cassidy 2 (22,20 kms) – SS9: SSS Auckland Domain(1,50 kms) – Service B (19h08/45 min) – Last car in parc fermé at 23h00.

Day 2 – Saturday 8th May: 511,17 kms including 155,62 timed kms (8 SS, 4 different). Start: 6h00: - Service C (6h10/15 min) – SS10: New Franklin 1 (20,82 kms) – SS11: Baker 1 (21,42 kms) – SS12: Te Akau Coast 1 (30,89 kms) – SS13: SSS Hampton Downs 1 (4,68 kms) – Service D (11h56/15 min)

SS14: New Franklin 2 (20,82 kms) – SS15: Baker 2 (21,42 kms) – SS16: Te Akau Coast 2 (30,89 kms) – SS17: SSS Hampton Downs 2 (4,68 kms) – Service E (17h13/45 min) – Last car in parc fermé at 22h45.

Day 3 – Sunday 9th May: 428,59 kms including 81,70 timed kms (4 SS, 2 different). Start: 6h00 – Service F (6h10/15 min) – SS18: Te Hutewai 1 (11,18 kms) – SS19: Whaanga Coast 1 (29,67 kms) – Service G (10h20/15 min) – SS20: Te Hutewai 2 (11,18 kms) – SS21: Whaanga Coast 2 (29,67 kms) – Service H (14h20/10 min) – Finish: 15h00.

Podium: Sunday 9th May at 15h00.

Closing press conference: Sunday 9th May at 15h45 in the Media Centre.

The crews before this rally:

Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena: First WRC rally: Spain 98 (Saxo Kit-Car / Rtd) – WRC Rallies: 128 – Victories: 57 – Titles: 6 (2004 to 2009)

Dani Sordo : First WRC rally: Spain 03 (Mitsubishi Lancer / 18th) – WRC Rallies: 75 – Junior Title: 2005 (C2 S1600).

Marc Marti: First WRC rally: Spain 92 (Peugeot 309 / 21st) – WRC Rallies: 139 – Victoires : 3 – Junior Title: 2005 (C2 S1600).

The crews at the start of Rally New Zealand:

Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena: 6e participation : 2003 (Xsara WRC / 4th) – 2004 (Xsara WRC / 4th) – 2005 (Xsara WRC / 1st) – 2007 (C4 WRC / 2nd) – 2008 (C4 WRC / 1st)

Dani Sordo: 4e participation : 2006 (Xsara WRC / 5th) – 2007 (C4 WRC / 6th) – 2008 (C4 WRC / 2nd)

Marc Marti: 7e participation : 1997 (Seat Ibiza / 15th) – 2003 (Xsara WRC / 12th) – 2004 (Xsara WRC / 6th) – 2006 (Xsara WRC / 5th) – 2007 (C4 WRC / 6th) – 2008 (C4 WRC / 2nd)