Loeb: I was fast in the tricky condition

Sébastien Loeb reckons his rapid performance in testing for the FIA World Touring Car Championship season-opener has handed him a performance edge ahead of qualifying for WTCC Race of Argentina.

The nine-time world rally champion was fastest during Friday morning’s 30-minute session, which took place on a damp but drying track, and remains one to watch in his Citroën Racing C-Elysée WTCC.

He said: “Conditions were different than what we are used to but I was here and I was competitive and for sure mentally it’s good. The performance means I was feeling well in the car, was immediately in the rhythm and that the car was good because we did the three best times.

“I was fast in the tricky condition and I just hope I will still be fast in the dry condition. If it is wet or dry I don’t have the answer at the moment and I don’t expect anything. For sure when it’s dry it’s a bit easier to drive. When it’s tricky it’s tricky for everybody, for me too. I know I’m maybe more competitive when it’s damp like this and if it’s like this I will take it. I prefer to be fastest than to be 10th and not to know why I am two seconds slower.”