Q&A with Daniel Elena

Daniel Elena co-drove Sebastien Loeb to a dominant victory on ADAC Rallye Deutschland, round nine of the FIA World Rally Championship, earlier today. He spoke to WRC.com following a ninth triumph in Trier.

You’ve won this event nine times now. How are you feeling?

“Very happy. It’s never easy because you see last year we had the puncture in Panzerplatte and lost the lead. It’s possible to miss one or two braking points and go straight and if you look yesterday in Panzerplatte so many WRC cars crashed. This race for the outside view is easy for us but it’s never easy. Yesterday with the rainstorm on the first one and the wet conditions and mud meant we had to drive with car and maximum concentration but it was okay. The problem is the other drivers pushing hard.”

Were these the hardest conditions you’ve experienced in Germany?

“It’s hard to say because we’ve done this rally 10 times now. Every year it’s difficult and if I remember just one year has been completely dry. Every other year you’ve had some rain.”

Does this result make up for last year when you should have won but suffered a puncture and finished second?

“Last year was the race and this can happen, it’s possible for everyone. If you look at the number of punctures this year too it’s never easy. You have to drive with care and when you see the stone you have to avoid the stone.”

You mentioned some of the mistakes that your rivals made but you and Sebastien made no mistakes. How was this possible?

“Because Sebastien drives with a brain and we did everything absolutely right. There is a lot of experience in the car and in the team.”

With a strong lead in the championship and only four rounds left do you start to think about a ninth world title yet?

“It’s never finished. I remember in 2009 everybody said in the middle of the season it’s easy for Sebastien to take another title. But then we had a crash, another crash and a disqualification so it’s never finished.”

But from a manufacturers’ championship point of view it’s definitely looking good for Citroen?

“For Citroen its better because you have two very fast and consistent drivers and it has gone well for Citroen.”