Matton: It’s decision time next week

Citroen team boss Yves Matton will start to pick his 2014 season WRC drivers next week, after a final chance to watch them in action this weekend at ADAC Rally Deutschland.

It is widely expected that Matton will change his current line-up of Mikko Hirvonen and Dani Sordo after an uncharacteristically poor season so far during which the pair has failed to win any rallies.

Citroen has held the WRC manufacturers’ championship title since 2008 but looks set to lose it this year to Volkswagen, for whom Sebastien Ogier is on course to take the drivers’ crown from Citroen’s nine-time champion Sebastien Loeb.

Matton said it was important to wait until after Rallye Deutschland before making any decisions about his future squad.

“This is the first tarmac rally in the year and I need to have information about what happens in these conditions,” he told wrc.com. “Okay, I have some ideas, but I need confirmation this weekend before I start to work on next year’s line-up and I start to make contact with drivers.”

Matton has made no secret of his liking for Kris Meeke, who will get a second trial in a DS3 World Rally Car at Rally Australia, and Matton admitted that Qatar World Rally Team driver Thierry Neuville – a former Citroen team member – had also impressed.

“Especially on the last two rallies,” explained Matton. “From back in his [Citroen] Trophy days I knew he was very fast but he had always some lack of consistency and was making some mistakes.

“But in Finland he showed that he was able to fight for the victory, then after to slow down to finish the rally and take a very good second place. That was very interesting to see. If we believe that he is the best young driver then for sure we’ll have an interest in him.”

Sordo meanwhile has promised a full-on fight for victory this weekend as he battles to keep his place. The Spaniard was dropped from Citroen’s Rally Australia team after a poor showing at Rally Finland, but could redeem himself if he can show winning pace on asphalt.

“It’s very important for me to show I can do it and, okay, that puts a little bit of pressure on me,” Sordo acknowledged. “I will try to do my best and if we do well then okay. If we do bad, then at least I know I did my best.

"This rally is always a difficult one, and I’m sure it will be close, but there’s no holding back or complex strategy. On the first stage everybody will be on full attack. And I’m going to do the same.”