Xsara comes in first at Monte Carlo

22 January 2002: Twenty-seven year old Frenchman and reigning junior world rally champion Sébastien Loeb brought home his Citroën Xsara WRC at the weekend some 46 seconds ahead of second placed Tommi Makkinen, the winner of the last three Monte Carlo rallies and over two minutes ahead of third placed Carlo Sainz.

His win is subject to the outcome of an appeal against a two minute time penalty for a technical infringement regarding a tyre change.

Loeb’s dominance of the world’s most famous rally, which featured no fewer than five previous world rally champions, was all the more remarkable as this was only his second outing in a world rally car and saw him maintain a blistering pace throughout all three days of the rally, winning five stages outright. His first WRC event, last year’s San Remo Rally, saw Loeb finish second in his Citroën Xsara.

Loeb’s success also proves that Citroën has a winner in its Xsara WRC rally car which has now completed five events on the world stage, notching up two first place finishes and one second and consistently setting stage times faster than rally rivals Subaru, Ford, Peugeot and Mitsubishi.

In 2002, the Citroën team will enter seven of the 14 WRC events as the team and drivers gain experience some of the toughest conditions in the world of motorsport and make ready for a full blown assault on the WRC crown in 2003 when they will take part in all 14 events.

The six events in which Citroën will compete this year are Jan 31 (Sweden), Mar 22 (Catalunya), Jun 13 (Acropolis), Jul 18 (Safari), Aug 8 (Finland), Aug 22 (Germany).

Citroën will enter three cars in all six events with Sébastien Loeb being joined by drivers Philippe Bugalski and Thomas Radström.

January 2002