It’s the big story of the opening round of the 2015 season: Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena will be competing at the Rallye Monte-Carlo in a DS 3 WRC. For this one-off appearance, the nine-time World Champions have been nominated to score points for the Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT alongside Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle. A third DS 3 WRC will be driven by Mads Østberg and Jonas Andersson.

To start the new season, several significant upgrades have been made to all three of the DS 3 WRCs entered: engine, suspension, aerodynamics, gearbox: “The DS 3 WRC is a very accomplished car, but we have worked hard to make it even more competitive,” commented Xavier Mestelan-Pinon, Citroën Racing’s Technical Director. “For example, we have focussed our efforts on the engine so that it delivers more power and torque, whilst also improving reliability.”

Sébastien Loeb: “When Citroën Racing offered me the chance to take part in this rally, it didn‘t take long to decide! Monte-Carlo is held on French roads. I love the atmosphere and how close we get to our supporters. I’m also happy to get that special feeling back in the DS 3 WRC! On the first day of testing, I had to get back into the swing of things, but it all came back to me pretty quickly! The driving style is very different to what I have become used to with the C-Elysée WTCC. With four-wheel drive and normal roads, you have to improvise a lot more. These tests were useful, but it is always difficult to prepare for a Rallye Monte-Carlo. You can’t predict what the conditions will be like on the day. My aim is to be competitive, but we have to remember that I haven’t driven in a rally at this level for over a year. Ever y time I start a race, I give it my best shot. It’ll be no different this time and if we can fight for the win, so much the better!”