Citroën boss hails Monte winners

Yves Matton, the boss of Citroën Racing, has paid tribute to his drivers for winning this week’s Rallye Monte-Carlo and putting four of the firm’s DS3 world rally cars in the top five.

Sebastien Loeb took a seventh Monte win on Saturday, with fellow DS3 drivers Dani Sordo finishing third, Mikko Hirvonen fourth and Bryan Bouffier fifth.

The result puts the Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team on top of the Manufacturers’ World Championship standings after the opening round with a 19-point lead over Volkswagen.

“It’s been a great week for the Citroën team,” said Matton. “To have two cars on the podium in Monte-Carlo is always something exceptional. We have four cars in the top five positions and we’ve done a good job. We’ve not had conditions like this for 20 years and when you win a rally as difficult as this, it is something we will remember for a long time.”

With just three more WRC outings to go for Loeb in 2013 as he retires from the sport, Matton had words of encouragement for Citroën’s full time driver line-up of Sordo and Hirvonen.

“Dani needs to win a rally this year and we make a deal 30 minutes ago and now he has to manage it,” he said. “He showed this weekend he has the pace and he will fight and be in the leaders for the Championship.

“Okay Mikko had his difficulties but I am confident for the Championship and for Sweden I am sure he will fight for victory. Mikko did his job. It was difficult for him in these conditions, but he managed them,” he added.