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Citroën is determined to continue its winning streak in Argentina
WRC 2011 – Sébastien Ogier, Argentina Shakedown
The Citroën Total World Rally Team’s aim is to continue this winning streak in Argentina, an event in which the French make has always excelled.
Since the start of the season the Citroën DS3 WRCs have won all four rallies run on gravel. Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena, victorious in Mexico and Italy, and Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia, winners in Portugal and Jordan, have shared Citroën’s successes.
Rally Argentina is the first of two events run in the southern hemisphere. It has a special place in the WRC in general, and in Citroën Racing’s heart in particular. Since 2004, first of all with Carlos Sainz and then with Sébastien Loeb, the French outfit has never been beaten in the Cordoba region In 2011, the team has entered the Citroën DS3 WRC with a single ambition – continue this winning streak!
The return of Rally Argentina to the WRC calendar after a year’s absence has led to a few innovations on the route. Villa Carlos Paz is still the nerve centre of the event and the entrants will rediscover the famous Traslasierra, Punilla and Calamuchita valleys. On the other hand, a new super special has been laid out in Villa Carlos Paz. It will be the theatre of the start, which will be given on Thursday afternoon. In addition, long asphalt sections will be scattered along the mainly gravel route.
Sébastien Ogier’s only outing in Argentina was in 2009 so he has limited experience in this rally: “We’re coming here with much greater ambitions than two years ago. The route’s fantastic and very varied. You have to have very accurate notes as certain passages are very narrow with big stones on the edge of the line like Mina Clavero and El Condor. Others are more sandy but bumpy as always.
“Of course, we’re aiming for the best possible result,” Ogier, who is currently lying third in the championship chase, adds. “We’re going try and score good points and close the gap to the leaders.”
As a prelude to the rally and to greet their Argentinean fans, the Citroën Racing crews will go to Buenos Aires on Saturday 21st May to put on an exceptional show with the DS3 WRC around the obelisk on the Place de la République.
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