Two questions for Xavier Mestelan-Pinon

What are the main technical developments carried out on the DS3 WRC for the new season?

“As we have said many times before, the working philosophy at Citroën Racing basically involves permanently reviewing and analysing, constantly looking for ways to improve. Our car is always developing, sometimes with very minor changes. Having said that, three noteworthy changes have been made to the car for the start of the season: a significant engine upgrade, a new clutch and an altered electrical circuit. We have also worked with Michelin on adjusting the set-up of the cars, with the supply of new tarmac tyres which offer greater protection against punctures. The arrival of Mikko Hirvonen has also enabled us to improve certain points on the handling of the DS3 WRC by taking advantage of his extensive experience and knowledge.”

The Rallye Monte Carlo kicks off the championship. It has a reputation as a tough rally – what are the main challenges?

“Yes, we have had to trawl through our archives for information with this rally back on the WRC calendar! In fact, the first challenge involved bringing together all the information that we have collected about the rally in order to prepare as well as possible, both from a technical perspective and in terms of team organisation. And then you have the changing and varied weather conditions, which make tyre choice complicated. The difference in the car’s handling according to the choice of tyres – suited to the road surface or not – can really be very significant and create huge differences in the times. More generally, for the entire season, we want to do everything we can to ensure our driver
pairings feel as comfortable as possible in their cars. This is already the case for Sébastien and Daniel but we’ll be trying hard to adapt to the needs of Mikko and Jarmo.”