Peugeot team has reiterated firmly to beat the unstoppable Sebastien Loeb. With a clear target of overtaking manufacturing championship title for the current 2009, the team has indeed a difficult task ahead. WRC has normally a tight 12 events per year, but with the newly popular IRC some of those events are not available this year. The Monte Carlo event was taken already by IRC. [See for my past article on this.]
Sebastien Loeb has consistently made scores, and it paid off handsomely as being the 5th WRC winner in 2008. Though he did admit a respectful fight from the number 1 Peugeot Team's driver Mikko Hirvonen and his companion J. Latvala, Loeb emphasized a new rivalry to the IRC's winner S. Ogier.
It may not be a coincident as my admiration to the uniquely Citroen's hydropneumatic suspension [See for my past article on this.]. Obviously both factors; the suspension and Loeb's abilities have contributed Citroen leadership.
Amidst the shock amongst rally fans as Subaru pulling out and its 2nd driver Atkinson moved to Citroen Junior Team, Atkinson did praise on the superb handling of his C4 Citroen. And despite of his attempt adapting to his new car only recently, he already achieved the overall 5th rank at Ireland event.
Meanwhile as Hirvonen put an all out effort on the last stages of Rally Ireland SS-19, he managed to be the fastest. Yet his overall rank saw only the 3rd place, where 2nd place went to another C4 Citroen of D. Sordo.
I think 2009 will be another good year for Citroen, as well as making a new world record for Loeb as his 6th WRC winner. Yet, I wish for another Gronholm's calibre to make a better fight with Loeb. Otherwise there is hardly excitement watching WRC events as it is, for the outcome has already easily predicted.
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