Wales Rally GB: three questions to Dani Sordo

Rally Great Britain is far from being a typical rally, with unique surfaces and conditions. Is it an event you enjoy?

“I really like it. The roads are often quite fast and that suits my driving style well. The stages are difficult but they’re also great fun for both driver and co-driver. But at this time of year the weather conditions can change the character of the rally completely. I remember the start of one stage in Britain a few years ago that was in full fog, while it was raining and night was falling. It felt like driving through a tunnel. I actually switched off the light pod so that it felt less like driving into a wall of white in front of the bonnet. I could see nothing at all, so it was really important to have total confidence in the pace notes. It’s a really vivid memory!”

What will be your objective to finish the season?

“I’m going to be flat-out from the beginning. I want to fight for the win. We’re going to prepare for the rally well and work hard during the recce. The Rally Great Britain is the final event of the year, and everyone will be very keen to do well. You need to be up there, and I want to get a result. I know that I’m capable of doing it and that the Citroën Junior Team can help me.”

This will be the last rally for the Citroën C4 WRC… what will you remember about your four years with this car?

“It’s a car that has played a huge part in the history of rallying. The Citroën Xsara WRC reached a very high level, but the C4 WRC has raised the bar further still. The Citroën team has done an extraordinary job and the results are the proof. The C4 WRC has won on every surface; I don’t think there’s a single rally where it hasn’t triumphed at some point. I’ll always have really good memories of the C4; it’s a car that is competitive everywhere. The whole chassis, the roadholding, and the engine…everything has reached an exceptional level with constant month-by-month progress and development. It’s been a pleasure to drive it for the last four seasons and it’s certainly going to be a pleasure to drive it again in Great Britain.”