Comments
There are no comments.
Add Comments
AFP/Paris
French car manufacturer Citroen announced yesterday that it will not take part in the 2016 World Rally Championship as it prepares a new car for the 2017 season, also confirming that nine-time champion Sebastien Loeb has switched to the Peugeot stable for the Dakar Rally.
“In order to dedicate as many resources as possible to development of the new car, the Citroen Racing team will be putting its participation in the WRC on hold next season,” the manufacturers said in a statement, adding that they will continue in the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC).
Linda Jackson, chief executive officer of the Citroen Brand, added: “With eight world titles and a record 94 wins, Citroen has certainly enjoyed unrivalled success in the WRC.
“Rallying is a fascinating sport, which tests the performance, reliability and solidity of the cars and drivers in some magnificent settings. The category is taking off again, with increasingly widespread live television coverage and the arrival of China on the calendar in 2016.
“In 2017, the appearance of a new generation of cars, which are purported to be very attractive, will coincide with our renewed involvement.”
The cars to be used from the 2017 season are wider, more powerful and more impressive, with imposing aerodynamic features, replacing the current generation of World Rally Cars introduced in 2011.
“We have never hidden our interest in the 2017 WRC regulations and the entire team is extremely motivated by this new challenge,” said Citroen team principal Yves Matton.
“We like the freedom granted to make the cars more spectacular, but also the possibility of reusing development work done on the Citroen C-Elysee WTCC’s engine.”
Citroen added that Loeb, a nine-time World Rally Champion with Citroen and also one of the most versatile drivers ever seen in the history of motor sport, has chosen to take on the Dakar Rally alongside his long-time co-pilot Daniel Elena as part of the Peugeot Sport team.
“This marks the end of one chapter for me, but what I want to focus on today is my satisfaction at having participated in Citroen’s success in the WRC and WTCC,” said Loeb.
There are no comments.
SPORT Saying goodbye is never easy, especially when you are saying farewell to those that have left a positive impression. That was the case earlier this month when Canada hosted Mexico in a friendly at BC Place stadium in Vancouver.
TECHNOLOGY Some 60mn primary-school-age children have no access to formal education
CULTURE Lekhwiya’s El Arabi scores the equaliser after Tresor is sent off; Tabata, al-Harazi score for QSL champions
ARABIA The Yemeni Minister of Tourism, Dr Mohamed Abdul Majid Qubati, yesterday expressed hope that the 48-hour ceasefire in Yemen declared by the Command of Coalition Forces on Saturday will be maintained in order to lift the siege imposed on Taz City and ease the entry of humanitarian aid to the besieged
ARABIA Some 200 teachers from schools across the country attended Qatar Museum’s (QM) first ever Teachers Council at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) yesterday.
ARABIA The Supreme Judiciary Council (SJC) of Qatar and the Indonesian Supreme Court (SCI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on judicial co-operation, it was announced yesterday.
ECONOMY Sri Lanka is keen on importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar as part of government policy to shift to clean energy, Minister of City Planning and Water Supply Rauff Hakeem has said.
