Interview with Sébastien Loeb

How does it feel to drive the Citroën DS3 WRC?

SL: “The car feels very different to the C4. The DS3’s shorter and so it’s more agile in the tight corners, but it’s also twitchier in the faster sections. Overall we’re going to have to do more work behind the steering wheel for several reasons: the behaviour of the car caused by its size, the lack of the central differential which shared out the traction between the front and the rear, the return to mechanical gear selection, which means we’ll have to let go of the wheel.”

Are you happy with the work done during the winter break?

SL: “I think the team’s done a good job, but we haven’t achieved the same level of development on all types of terrain. We’ve spent a lot of time on gravel as it’s the type of surface we’ll race on most frequently in the world championship. I reckon we‘ve still got a lot of progress to make on snow, but it’s difficult to calculate as we haven’t really got a basis for comparison given the way the new regulations have radically modified the cars’ behaviour.”

What do you think of the new regulations? Are they good for the drivers?

SL: “Yes, the car’s nice to drive. The performance of the engine means you can really get the best out of the chassis. Of course as always, we’d like more power but I think the new WRCs will be very spectacular. As a driver you have to have the right feel to optimize the trajectories to carry the highest possible speed through the corners.”

What does this season represent for you?

SL: “It’s a new challenge with far more unknown factors than in previous years. Our rivals have developed their cars and we’ll have to wait for the opening rallies to establish a hierarchy. But even before that I have to be quicker than the guys who have the same car as me. Beating Sébastien Ogier and Petter Solberg will be a tough challenge! I think it’ll be a difficult season, but that only serves to boost my motivation even more!”