Arzeno’s lucky Germany point deserved

Mathieu Arzeno’s team manger Vincent Ducher admits his driver was "lucky" to score his maiden FIA World Rally Championship point in Germany last week but added that the score was richly deserved after he didn’t make a single mistake.

ADAC Rallye Deutschland was the first of four end-of-season WRC events Arzeno is contesting with the French Saintéloc Racing operation. Having tackled Germany in a Peugeot 207 Super 2000, Arzeno will switch to a front-wheel-drive Citroen DS3 R3T for Wales Rally GB later this month before returning to the Peugeot for Rallye de France Alsace. His choice of the two cars for RallyRACC-Rally de Espana will depend on available finances.

“We asked Mathieu to reach the finish and not look at the times of [Sebastien] Ogier and [Andrea] Mikkelsen because they are on another planet and in a different [Super 2000] car,” said Ducher. “Also, they have more experience and Mathieu is still learning. He drove slowly on purpose in some of the stages, like in Panzerplatte, but then did some really good times when it was right to do so.

“It was a lucky [point] because Ott Tanak retired just before the podium and a lot of other drivers retired. But the fact Mathieu did not make a mistake was very impressive. We know that he’s one of France’s brightest hopes in rallying and that he has the speed to make people sit up and take notice.”

Arzeno’s point was the first scored by a Peugeot 207 S2000 in the world championship. Ducher also explained that Arzeno’s 207 in Germany was chassis 100.