CORK MOTOR CLUB

Loeb and Elena score 4th consecutive win in Mexico

Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena started the final day of Rally Mexico with a comfortable lead over their pursuers. All they had to do was to control the gap to score their fourth consecutive victory in Mexico. The Franco-Monegasque duo fulfilled their mission. This win puts them in the lead in the Drivers World Championship. Dani Sordo and Marc Marti rejoined in the Super Rally and helped the Citroën Total World Rally Team to score more Manufacturers points than their rivals. The programme of the final day of the rally had been pared down. After a short stop in the Poliforum service park, the drivers tackled a loop made up of three timed stages, including a final pass in the ‘Autodrome de León’ super special.
Sébastien Loeb who led the rally by almost a minute took the final loop seriously: “Even if the two stages include sections we’ve already covered over the past two days, I’m going to be the sweeper. I’ll have to find the right rhythm and that’s not really my cup of tea! I prefer pushing as hard as possible!”
At the finish of the 30-kilometre Guanajuatito stage (SS19), the six-time world champion had lost 16 seconds to the quickest drivers: “Sébastien Ogier and Petter Solberg are going very quickly as they’re fighting for second place. As far as I’m concerned things are okay. I didn’t take any risks and I won’t really push in the last two stages.”
Seb and Daniel continued in this vein, and when they came back to Poliforum de León for the last time, the whole team gave them a hero’s welcome. “ They did a fantastic job on the second day and that’s where they consolidated this mind-boggling victory,” smiled Olivier Quesnel, the Citroën Racing Team Principal. “The C4 WRCs have dominated this rally as they set all the quickest times. They also scored the first triple by a French manufacturer in a gravel rally. I’d also like to congratulate Petter Solberg and Sébastien Ogier for their great duel in the best possible sporting tradition.”
”This victory’s done us a power of good,” Loeb confirmed before stepping up onto the podium. “We controlled our race well and I think that we can look forward to the next events with confidence, as they’ll be run on similar surfaces. Thanks to this victory we’ve taken the lead in the championship and opened up a small gap over Mikko Hirvonen. It’s a good situation even if we’ll have to sweep the road in Jordan.” Dani Sordo rejoined in the Super Rally and did the job he’d been asked to do; namely, reach the finish and bag the points that went with seventh place in the Manufacturers’ Classification: “ I’ve put yesterday’s disappointment behind me and I’m happy to have set some good times while the other two C4s were battling for second spot. Thanks to this result Citroën has scored more points than its rival in this rally – and that’s the most important thing.”

Sebastien Ogier completes a Citroën trio!

Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia have climbed onto the podium of a World Championship rally for the second time in their careers. The Citroën Junior Team crew shared the podium with two World Champions in Mexico: rally winner Sébastien Loeb and Petter Solberg in second, both of them driving a Citroën C4 WRC.

Having set off in third position for the final day, which consisted of 51.49 competitive kilometres, the Citroën Junior Team crew gave the enthusiastic Mexican fans a breathtaking battle to remember with Petter Solberg.

Sébastien Ogier set fastest time – his sixth of the rally – on the opening 29.13 kilometre stage, Guanajuatito. This allowed him to overhaul Petter Solberg for second place overall. “We’re going to fight to the end but I don’t want to take too many risks,” reported Sébastien at the end of the stage. Petter Solberg fought back in Comanjilla (SS21) to regain 0.8 seconds from Sébastien Ogier. “I knew then that it was going to be a battle to the finish,” commented the Frenchman. “But it’s not over yet. It will all come down to the superspecial, so it’s important to stay concentrated and not make any mistakes on this short final stage.”

The two Citroën C4 WRCs set off side by side for the last 4.42 kilometre stage. Thanks to a final effort, the 2003 World Rally Champion went fastest to secure second overall ahead of Sébastien Ogier, who finishes third at the end of round two this year.

“It was the first time that we ever had the chance to fight for a top place all the way to the end,” said Sébastien at the rally finish in León. “We managed to drive at a good pace throughout the event. It’s a sure sign that we are making progress. This podium rewards all the hard work that the team has put in. It’s been a great start to the season; we really couldn’t hope for better.”

Citroën Junior Team manager Benoit Nogier concluded: “We haven’t been on the podium since Greece last year, again thanks to Sébastien. This podium is actually like a win for us, given the relative lack of experience of our team and drivers. It’s a huge satisfaction to see all our hard work rewarded today. Sébastien and Julien were able to fight for the podium thanks to their extremely strong performance. They again showed themselves to be quick, professional and talented…it’s been a great job from start to finish. Petter’s second place is also a huge satisfaction for Citroën. We hope this result provides proof that the products and information we place at the disposal of our clients allows them to achieve top results. Seeing three Citroëns on the podium is an emotional experience!”

Three questions to Kimi Räikkönen before Mexico 2010

Looking back on it now, what conclusions can you draw from your first event in the World Rally Championship with the Citroën Junior Team C4 WRC?

“The really positive thing is that we managed to cover all the stages on the Rally Sweden and we learned a lot. We could have done better overall had it not been for some small mistakes but we managed to improve our stage times as the rally went on. That was our initial objective. The second run through the stages was better for us. I also felt a big difference once I became more confident with my pace notes. With more experience, things should get increasingly easier.”

Mexico will be the first time that you drive the Citroën C4 WRC on gravel. Do you think that you will find this surface easier than snow?

“I’m really looking forward to starting the Rally Mexico. My impression is that driving on gravel should be a little bit easier for us. Or at least that’s what Marcus Grönholm told me! I reckon that we will find a more consistent level of grip on gravel. But for the moment I’m still lacking experience. I just need to get more kilometres in the car in order to get used to the Citroën C4 WRC in particular and rallying in
general.”

How are you going to approach the Rally Mexico?

“My plan had initially been to take part in a test session on gravel, in order to get to know the Citroën C4 WRC a bit better on a new surface for me. But unfortunately I experienced a bit of back pain that stopped me from driving. I’ve had some treatment now but I preferred to rest before leaving for Mexico. Of course I would have liked to test the car before going, but it was important to recuperate in order to start the second rally of the season in the best possible physical shape.”

Three questions to Dani Sordo before Mexico 2010

Rally Sweden. Were you happy or disappointed with your fourth place in the opening round of the season?

"It's obvious that I'd have preferred to finish on the podium, but fourth place is a fairly normal one for me in a winter rally. What I do remember is that I had a very good first day. I'd prepared really well for this event and I was able to match Seb's and Mikko's pace right away on these very fast stages. Quite honestly, finishing the first day around ten seconds behind the leader was more than I'd expected. The next day I lost contact with the two leaders after a spin. And then we screwed up and lost third place."

You seemed very angry on Saturday evening!

"Yes I was. It's very annoying to be involved in a battle where every second counts and then to lose a minute pulling off a radiator shield that should have been removed before the start of the stage. It's a mistake that's all the more stupid as everything is done on board the car to make sure we don't forget it. In fact, everybody was furious that evening! But we're not going to go on about it for the rest of our lives; you've got to put it behind you and progress, Marc and I have forgotten this incident and we're now fully concentrated on Rally Mexico."

Do you think you'll be as quick on Mexican gravel as on Swedish ice?

"I've always felt at home in Mexico. In 2008, my chances were dashed in the first stage when a suspension arm broke on a stone. After that, I set good times. This year I really believe I can make the same step forward on gravel as I did on ice in Sweden. I like this event very much - and not just because I speak the same language as the locals! The people are very enthusiastic and they make a huge effort to organise a great rally in Léon. I hope to be on the podium at the end!"

The Citroën C4 WRCs out to conquer Mexico!

After a snowy debut, the FIA World Rally Championship begins a series of five gravel rallies in Mexico. As always, the Citroën Total World Rally Team will start the event with a single ambition - victory! Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena who finished second in Sweden are aiming for a fourth win on the trot in Latin America. Dani Sordo and Marc Marti also want to shine in front of a crowd that will be rooting for them!
The World Rally Championship, more than any other, guarantees a complete change of scenery in every country it visits. After the cold, the snow and the pine forests of Rally Sweden the entrants will find themselves confronted with the heat, the dust and the sombreros of Rally Mexico. The only event on the American continent, which is back on the calendar, has again gone out of its way to put on a really impressive show.
"It's a very pleasant rendezvous. You can really feel that the organisers work flat out to make this rally a big event and the spectators always give us a warm welcome. The start in the streets in the historic centre of Guanajuato is one of the highlights of the season," exclaimed an enthusiastic Dani Sordo. After a year's break, Sébastien Loeb is also delighted to be back racing in this rally: "I've competed in all the events since the rally became part of the WRC in 2004. The first couple of years didn't attract a huge crowd. Then people started to get interested in our sport and it's now one of the most popular rounds of the season."

Loeb and Elena have not lost in Mexico since 2006, and they are tackling the rally determined to add another win to their tally. "We can't really say that the championship's got off to a bad start with our second place in Sweden but I'm not going to let Mikko Hirvonen open up a gap in the overall classification. A win would put us on level pegging", said the six-time world champion. "The route's an interesting one from a driver's point of view. The stages aren't too hard on the car and they're a kind of digest of all the challenges in a rally with very quick sections, twisty ones and fliers! Our C4 WRC will be very much at home on this type of terrain, which we know very well. But I'm not going to make any predictions as we haven't raced in such conditions for six months. Mikko Hirvonen has made a lot of progress recently and he's going to start the rally full of confidence and motivation. Last year, he lost the title by a point and I know he won't give an inch this season! I think Dani will put on a good performance again. Although he's a little less experienced than Mikko he's improving at exactly the same rate. He's got every reason to show what he can do and to win."

Dani Sordo is very motivated for the first gravel rally of the season: "I hope I'll make the same progress as in Sweden! I'll have the advantage of starting fourth on the first day, so the line's going to be well swept by the first three. I hold all the aces and I won't forget the job I've been given: namely, to score the maximum number of points for the Manufacturers' World Championship title. Our rivals got off to a better start in Sweden, but we're determined to catch them - now!"

Citroën Junior Team set for Mexico debut
Following the wintery conditions of the Rally Sweden, the Citroën Junior Team now changes continent and surface to contest the first gravel round of the 2010 FIA World Rally Championship season. Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia and Kimi Räikkönen/Kaj Lindström will drive the team’s two Citroën C4 WRCs.

Having appeared on the World Rally Championship for the first time in 2004, the León-based event features the most concentrated rally route on the calendar this year. In fact, a full 354.60 kilometres out of a total route length of only 884.58 kilometres are run competitively. Another peculiarity of Rally Mexico is that competitors will be driving at an altitude of almost 2800 metres at one point on the opening day (Ortega, SS2 and SS6). Citroën comes into the event fresh from three consecutive victories in Mexico, between 2006 and 2008. Nonetheless, the Rally Mexico will be an all-new experience for the Citroën Junior Team, which goes there for the first time.

Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia, who finished a brilliant fifth on the season-opening Rally Sweden, have some fond memories of their first visit to Mexico. In 2008, Rally Mexico marked the French crew’s World Rally Championship debut. They got their Junior World Rally Championship campaign off to a flying start with a momentous win.

“It was a career-defining moment,” remembered Sébastien. “I’ve got some very happy memories of Mexico. We had a lot to learn, but in the end we were able to win after a rally where we were forced to attack in order to gain an advantage, but then also moderate our pace in order to look after the car. I really like this rally as the stages are very flowing and progressive. The fans are especially enthusiastic in Mexico as well!”

Since making their World Rally Championship debut two years ago, Sébastien and Julien have climbed onto the overall podium (thanks to second place in Greece last year) and finished eighth in the 2009 World Rally Championship for drivers. In Sweden, their fifth place ensured that they beat several local Scandinavian specialists. So in Mexico, the French duo’s objective will be to at least equal that result. “We started the season well, with a top-five finish on our first visit to Sweden,” added Sébastien. “Our objective is to maintain this same pace throughout the season and get closer to the podium on the events that we know a bit already. “In Mexico, we start off with the advantage of having already driven eight of the 11 different stages in the C2 Super 1600. On top of that, we were able to prepare for this rally with a day of testing in Spain. If there’s a chance of finishing higher than fifth, we’re certainly going to go for it!”

Kimi Räikkönen and Kaj Lindström will continue their learning curve on the gravel of Mexico. Following their first rally on the snowy tracks of Sweden in February, the Finnish crew now faces a new challenge on a very different surface.

“What I love about rallying is that you have to be competitive on all sorts of different surfaces,” said Kimi. “After my experience on snow, now I’m going to find out about driving on gravel. I really don’t know what to expect, but that is all part of our learning process. I’m very much looking to driving the Citroën C4 WRC in these challenging conditions and getting as many kilometres under my belt as I can, in order to add to my experience.”

Loeb and Citroën start the season on the podium

The third and final day of Rally Sweden did not change anything among the front-runners.
Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena finished the first round of the 2010 FIA Rally World Championship in second place. Dani Sordo and Marc Marti, their team-mates in the Citroën Total World Rally Team, brought their C4 WRC home in fourth position.
Starting the third day of the rally 16.6s behind Mikko Hirvonen, Loeb knew that he had to do something really special to wrench the win from the Finn: “Everything’s still possible with 100 kilometres of specials ahead of us, but it’s going to be difficult.”
At the end of the 22-km Rämmen (SS17) special, the C4 WRC driver set his seventh scratch time in the rally. But he finished only two-tenths of a second in front of his rival: “There’s no use just matching his pace, I’ll have to go even quicker to close the gap!”
The crews immediately attacked the Värmullsasen special. This time, Hirvonen came out on top. Sébastien finished 7.3s behind and the gap exceeded 20 seconds. “We’ll just have to be happy with second place,” said a resigned Loeb when he got back to the Hagfors service park. “I managed to pull out a slight lead by the first splits of SS18, but Mikko fought back and he closed the gap again. I gave myself a few frights, in particular when I kissed a wall of snow! I said to myself that from now on it’d be better to hang on to second and not start the championship with a retirement.”
After the 30-minute stop in the service park the crews competed in the last three stages of the rally. As the gaps between the front-runners were quite large, all the drivers gave themselves a wide safety margin and there were no changes in the order until the finish at Karlstad.
“As I’ve always said, I start each rally with victory as my aim. But if I feel that winning isn’t within my grasp, I prefer to bag the maximum number of points rather than risk an accident,” stated Loeb. “I didn’t reckon I was the favourite for this event and I found myself up against a rival who drove a perfect rally. It’s good to start the season with a large haul of points and I’m looking forward to Mexico to get my revenge!”
Dani Sordo put his previous day’s disappointment behind him and concentrated on keeping fourth place on the final day: “My mission was simple: hold on to fourth and score points for Citroën in the
Manufacturers’ World Championship. Mission accomplished, but sometimes it’s difficult to run at a slower pace than to push really hard like I did on Friday. I’m sorry not to be on the podium, but like Seb I’m now looking forward to the next rally.”
“On our rivals’ favourite surface our performances had nothing to envy theirs,” summed up Olivier Quesnel, Citroën Racing. Team Principal: “Sébastien and Dani both drove great rallies but you can’t win them all! Our drivers’ second and fourth places are a pretty good result in the context of the world championships. And I’d like to finish by adding that we’ll be perfectly placed to tackle the specials on the Rally Mexico gravel roads.”

Three questions to Sébastien Loeb before Sweden 2010

Unlike most of your rivals in the world championship, you’re starting your season in Sweden. Is the lack of competition a handicap?
“Holidays are pretty good too! Between testing, prize-giving and promotions I’ve not had enough time to get bored since we last saw each other in Cardiff! I’m happy that I was able to take a breather, but the two days practice I did in Sweden got me back into the swing of things. Now I can’t wait to be at the start of the first special.”

What about the rally? As the winner of the last winter rally do you think you’re the favourite?
“The conditions will be very different to those of the 2008 event. Snow’s fallen on frozen gravel, the temperature hasn’t risen above zero and the snow hasn’t been transformed into a layer of ice. We’re faced with a layer of powdery snow covering frozen earth so the grip level is going to keep on changing. It’s a bit like Russian roulette, and I’d really prefer a good layer of ice with constant grip. I don’t think I’m the favourite, as the Finns will feel much more at home than me. But you just have to keep it between the hedges!”

You’re aiming for a seventh consecutive world title. Did the way the second half of the 2009 season panned out change your approach?
“Since I lost the title by one point (in 2003) I’ve always applied the same logic. Every point is vital when you want to win a championship as difficult as the WRC. The way things went last year only confirmed this viewpoint. This being said, when Lady Luck deserts you, there’s nothing you can do! With this season about to begin I’m still in the same frame of mind as last year. I’ll start every rally with the intention of winning it.”

Citroën, Loeb and Sordo gunning for more titles!

The Citroën Total World Rally Team and its two crews will start Rally Sweden, the first round of the 2010 FIA World Rally Championship, with their motivation at an all-time high! Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena will be gunning for a seventh consecutive title, while Dani Sordo and Marc Marti will be the key men in Citroën’s conquest of a sixth crown in the Manufacturers’ World
Championship.
The FIA World Rally Championship will kick off after a 3-month break on the icy roads of Sweden. The greater part of Rally Sweden, still run around Karlstad, will take place in the Hagfors region, where the service park will be located. The specials, run on frozen gravel, are wide and fast. Sébastien Loeb does more than just defend his corner on this type of surface on which the Scandinavian drivers are much more at home than their Latin rivals. Remember that the six-time world champion scored his first victory on a surface other than asphalt in Sweden in 2004. Last year, he also won in Norway in his C4 WRC. Despite this, Seb doesn’t feel that he is the favourite for the opening round. “I like starting the season with this rally but it looks like the conditions are going to be very difficult (see further on). You just have to stay on the road, which isn’t all that easy when I think back to the 2008 rally. My only aim is to rack up another world title, but the way last season panned out shows that you can’t count your chickens before they’re hatched!”

Dani Sordo’s season began a few days ago. In order to get back in the groove, the young Spaniard raced in the Arctic Lapland Rally, the opening round of the Finnish Championship. It was a success, as he set all the fastest times in the rally. “It was a great way of boosting my confidence on this surface. Even though I didn’t really have any rivals there’s nothing like competition to get you back into the right rhythm and feel the reflexes coming back! Unlike a test session where we use the same route so we know it by heart, each special was a new challenge for me and I had to analyse the behaviour of the C4 WRC. The route was very similar to that of Rally Sweden so I feel absolutely ready.”

Dani’s main aim hasn’t changed in relation the previous seasons, which is a crucial factor in the conquest of the Manufacturers’ title. “You have to be quick, consistent and score the maximum number of points in each rally. That’ll still be the case in 2010 but I want to push even harder. I’m really determined to win my first WRC rally this year. I know I can do it, and whether it comes in one of the asphalt rounds or the gravel events that I like very much such as Mexico, New Zealand or Portugal, doesn’t make any difference.”

“You don’t change a winning team so we’re tackling 2010 with the same crew as the previous seasons. The final year of the World Rally Cars looks like being a great one for the World Championship - and for Citroën - which has a real dream team,” adds Olivier Quesnel, the Citroën Racing Team Principal. “The drivers of the five C4 WRCs entered this season have all been word champions in motor racing: namely, Sébastien Loeb, Dani Sordo, Sébastien Ogier, Kimi Raïkkönen, and Petter Solberg with his own team. Difficult to do much better!”

The Citroën Junior Team under the spotlight
For its second consecutive season in the FIA World Rally Championship, the Citroën Junior Team will enter two Citroën C4 WRCs for Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia and Kimi Räikkönen / Kaj Lindström. The season’s opening round is held over the snowy stages of Rally Sweden, which takes place around Karlstad from February 11-14. After a learning year in 2009, the 2010 season holds plenty of promise for the Citroën Junior Team.
Sébastien Ogier, who formed part of the team last year, is joined this season by the 2007 Formula 1 World Champion Kimi Räikkönen. By pairing up one of world rallying’s brightest young stars with a wellknown driver embarking on the ultimate challenge, the Citroën Junior Team will be well and truly under the spotlight this year!
The wintry conditions of the Rally Sweden present a tough task to the crews on the season-opener, but most drivers love the high speeds reached on the ice and snow. Thanks to stages that sometimes have an average speed of more than 120 kph and racing lines that thread their way precisely through imposing snow banks, spectators are sure to witness a breathtaking spectacle.
Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia enjoyed a remarkable first full season at the wheel of the Citroën C4 WRC in 2009 and they start the 2010 season with the same motivation – and a year’s worth of extra experience under their belts. “I just can’t wait to start driving the Citroën C4 WRC in the heat of competition again,” said the Frenchman. “It seems a very long time now since the 2009 season ended!”
Having contested the Monte Carlo Rally at the start of the year, Sébastien was in Finland last week to prepare for Rally Sweden with a day of testing close to Rovaniemi. “We covered around 200 kilometres in order to get to grips with the car again and work on the set-up of the Citroën C4 WRC,” he reported. “I’m very pleased with the way that the car is handling. I quickly felt comfortable again and I love driving in these conditions.”
Rally Sweden will be a brand new experience for Sébastien Ogier. Nonetheless, he hopes to put the experience he gained on Rally Norway last year to good use. “Actually, we’re getting rather used to driving on rallies for the first time,” added Sébastien. “I hope that we can show what we are capable against what is always very strong opposition on these winter rallies. Our objective on this first event of the year is just to continue to progress.”
Making his debut alongside the 2008 Junior World Rally Champions is Kimi Räikkönen. The handful of rally events he contested in 2009 has given the Finn the desire to embark on a full season with the Citroën Junior Team.
Following some test sessions and a run on the Arctic Lapland Rally a few days ago, Kimi Räikkönen has covered nearly 600 kilometres with the Citroën C4 WRC. “I’m just really keen to get to the start of Rally Sweden now,” he said. “With Citroën, we have made some good preparations for this event. All the kilometres I already have behind me will allow me to begin the rally with no particular worries. I know that I still have many things to learn though and plenty of experience to accumulate. My goal is simply to do my best with the Citroën C4 WRC. My debut in the World Rally Championship is an enormous challenge but any driver who has competed in motorsport at a certain level always maintains the same way

Dani and Kimi heat up Arctic Lapland Rally for Citroen

Citroën Racing’s trip to Lapland in order to prepare for the Swedish Rally, round one of the 2010 FIA World Rally Championship, was crowned with success. Dani Sordo and Marc Marti won every stage of the rally, while Kimi Räikkönen and Kaj Lindström showed their ability to rapidly get to grips with the Citroën C4 WRC.
The Arctic Lapland Rally, based around Rovaniemi – a small town in Finland close the Arctic Circle – offered a happy hunting ground for Citroën Racing Technologies. With the Rally Sweden just two weeks away, the team was able to fit in some useful practice by entering two C4 WRCs. With World Rally Cars not allowed on the Finnish Championship, a special category was set up by the organisers.
Throughout the rally, Dani Sordo put in a true demonstration run. The young Spaniard set 12 fastest times in as many stages. Having come to Finland to perfect his driving on ice and snow, Dani drew an extremely positive conclusion from the experience. « I enjoyed myself so much that I would happily have driven on for a few more stages!" he said. "This weekend went well, run in perfect conditions, and we were able to carry out some useful work with the team. Of course, there was no real pressure. All the more reason for us to drive a very disciplined event! After looking at the data with the engineers, it’s clear that we’ve made consistent progress. That gives me a lot of confidence as we head into the new season, which is just a few days away now. "
After his first rally at the wheel of a WRC machine, Kimi Räikkönen was also able to draw a positive conclusion. Throughout the two days of the rally, the gap between Dani and the Finn stayed consistent at around eight-tenths of a second per kilometre. "Things didn’t exactly get off to the best start as we went off the road during the second stage" said the Citroën Junior Team driver. "But luckily there was no mechanical damage and I was able to continue in the rally. From there it got a lot better for me and we were much more consistent. We put a few more kilometres under our belt, which was vital to help us continue learning the C4 WRC. As well as being pleased by our performances I was also pleased by the way we were able to work with the team. We developed our set-up in the right direction and now we are going to continue our work in order to arrive in Sweden in the strongest possible position."
Benoit Nogier, Citroën Racing Technologies team manager, concluded: "This practice event allowed the team to make more progress in preparation for the Rally Sweden. Dani drove exactly the sort of rally that we expected from him. He was fast and consistent, growing in confidence on the surface that comes least naturally to him. As for Kimi, he was quickly able to put his mishap at the start of the rally behind him and get to the end of a complex event, whilst improving at the same pace as Dani."

Citroën to sponsor the 2010 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship!

The Tarmac Rally Organisers Association, (TROA) Ltd is delighted to announce that Citroën has agreed to become title sponsor of the 2010 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship!
The six-round series, which is regarded as Ireland’s most prestigious rally championship, will be promoted as the Citroën Irish Tarmac Rally Championship.
Gary Savage, Citroën UK and Ireland Managing Director, said: "Citroën is pleased to be sponsoring the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship which will spearhead our marketing drive into the Irish market. It is well known that the Irish people are very keen supporters of rallying and this initiative will allow us to develop our brand whilst playing on our significant rallying heritage and the success of the Citroen C2 rally cars."
Don Wilmont, Citroën Irish Tarmac Rally Championship Manager, said: "On behalf of the TROA, we very much welcome Citroën on board as title sponsor of the 2010 Irish Tarmac Championship. Having a partnership with a strong brand such as Citroën, which has been so dominant at the top of the FIA World Rally Championship, will not only enhance the profile of the Championship but also the profile of each of the individual events.
Combined with the new 2010 Citroën Racing Trophy series, which will offer almost €20,000 of prize money on each round of the Championship, this makes Citroën’s support package the largest in the history of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship!
All six rounds of the 2010 Championship will once again be televised worldwide through Tyndall Productions’ RPM television programme, thanks to additional financial support received from Tourism Ireland.
"The world of commercial television has been severely impacted in the current climate," Championship Manager Don Wilmont continued. "Television channels can no longer provide the support for television coverage of the Championship that we have enjoyed for the past 10 years. The profile and exposure provided by RPM is crucial for both the Championship and each of the events, and TROA is very grateful to Tourism Ireland for their support."
The 2010 Citroën Irish Tarmac Championship starts in two weeks time with the Safety Direct Galway International Rally. The first car will leave the start ramp on Saturday 6th February, and more details will be announced in due course.
2010 Citroën Irish Tarmac Rally Championship Calendar
Round 1: Galway (06/07 February)
Round 2: Circuit of Ireland (02/04 April)
Round 3: Killarney Rally of the Lakes (01/02 May)
Round 4: Donegal International Rally (18/20 June)
Round 5: Ulster International Rally (20/21 August)
Round 6: Cork ‘20’ International Rally (02/03 October)
Irish Tarmac Rally Championship fact file.
The Irish Tarmac Rally Championship was first organised in 1978. Eugene Donnelly claimed a record equalling fifth Irish Tarmac title by winning the 2009 series. Austin MacHale was the sole driver to previously hold the five time record. Additional information can be found online at www.irishtarmac.com.

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