Citroen and Ford extend their UK stay

Citroen ran the DS3 WRC through mid-Wales for the full week following Rally GB and it was the winner of the Cardiff-based event Sebastien Loeb who got to stay on in the principality to do the first two days of driving.

The Citroen team enjoyed a mixed bag of weather, allowing them to run the DS3 in wet and dry conditions in its first test in the UK.

After running in the warm conditions in the south of France, this was the first time the car was able to run on the smooth, fast roads typical of northern Europe. The team was pleased with the results of the test.

Loeb said: “Because I came straight from the rally, I still had the good rhythm to drive the car. The comparison was good which we got from the DS3.”

Citroen Racing boss Olivier Quesnel added: “When I have spoken with the drivers, the engineers, everybody I think now they are really pleased. The best example is to have Seb in the team in 2011. That means he’s pleased with the car otherwise he will say ‘Olivier I will stop’.”

Ford’s drivers were equally pleased with the results of their time in the Fiesta RS WRC in Cumbria. This was the first time the full 2011 specification Fiesta ran on gravel in Britain, having tested the chassis with the new engine on asphalt at an airfield close to M-Sport’s Cockermouth base.

Jari-Matti Latvala said: “Everything is going really well with the new car. We are making good progress and, I have to say, it’s a very exciting car to drive. It feels really nice and well-balanced and good power. It’s good to be in the car which we are using for next year, we will be driving it a lot before Sweden [the opening round of next year’s World Rally Championship], but that is good, we need a lot of experience for the car before we start competing.”

Both teams are expected to move north to Scandinavia for their first winter tests in the next month.