Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive

THE CITROËN TOTAL ABU DHABI WORLD RALLY TEAM UNVEILED ITS 2017 CHALLENGER, THE C3 WRC, IN ABU DHABI THIS AFTERNOON – WITH TEAM BOSS YVES MATTON STATING HE WANTS THE CAR TO BE WINNING RALLIES NEXT SEASON.

The French squad is the last of the 2017 manufacturers to reveal how it has interpreted the new technical regulations that come into force from January's Rallye Monte-Carlo and have dramatically changed the look and performance of the latest generation World Rally Cars.

Having only completed a selected programme of events in 2016, Citroën is returning to WRC action in a full-time capacity next season and the team has high hopes that the new C3 WRC will catapult it back into regular rally-winning contention so it can add to its haul of 96 rally wins and eight manufacturers' titles.

"In 2017, we want to win races in normal conditions, by beating our competitors," Matton said. "And then in 2018, our goal is to bring home at least one of the world titles."

The exciting changes to the 2017 WRC technical regulations were one of the catalysts that convinced Citroën to return to the series with its new C3 model. 

Matton said: "At first glance, you could easily think that this just a major upgrade to the previous regulations. But it's much more than that: the increase in engine power, the growing influence of aerodynamics and the return of the centrally-controlled differential are the three major changes.

"We have applied our unique expertise on these three points, derived from our previous World Rally Cars and our recent experience in track racing. That has helped us to go quicker than we might otherwise have been able and above all, to go further in our thinking."

Citroën's eye-catching new C3 WRC will go up against equally-stunning cars from M-Sport, Hyundai and Toyota on the 13-round WRC calendar next season and many are predicting the championship will provide a spectacular show in 2017, reminiscent of the Gp B era that made the WRC a must-watch series in the mid-1980s.

Comparing the latest regulations to those during the Gp B period, Matton said: "The C3 WRC certainly recalls the cars that enthralled a generation of rally enthusiasts, including me. Thirty years on, fortunately everything has changed, especially in terms of safety. 

"But the sense that the drivers will need to tame an aggressive, roaring beast is something that we will certainly see next season. When I saw Kris Meeke [the team's lead driver] drive the car for the first time in testing, I said to myself that we had achieved our goal. There is an extremely spectacular side to this new generation of WRCs."

The C3 WRC wears an aggressive aero package that fully exploits next year's bodywork regulations. 

Underneath Citroën’s characteristic two-tier front lights, the front bumper has a splitter and winglets to generate downforce and reduce understeer. Air intakes supply cool air to the radiator, the turbo intercooler and the brakes while hot air is drawn out by scoops on the bonnet and at the bottom of the front wings.

The air vents located on the rear doors are used to cool the brakes. Like at the front, hot air exits via the bottom of the wings.

The rear end is dominated by a huge, two-element rear wing that consists of a lower 'shovel' and a complex upper level. Underneath, the rear bumper has been designed to quickly spit out gravel and snow on loose surfaces.

Under the bonnet is a four-cylinder 1.6-litre direct injection turbo engine based on the unit from Citroën's C-Elysée WTCC car. With the new WRC regulation 36mm turbo restrictor, it produces about 380bhp. 

The four-wheel drive transmission has also undergone a major change, with the return of an active centre differential, while suspension changes include longer travel and geometry that will be different in the car's asphalt and gravel versions.

Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive

THE ORGANISERS OF THE CHE GUEVARA ENERGY DRINK TOUR DE CORSE HAVE TRIMMED THE ROUTE FOR NEXT SEASON'S EVENT IN A BID TO MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE TO SPECTATORS.

The asphalt event, which has moved from the end of September to an earlier 6-9 April slot on the 2017 WRC calendar, will cover 316.76 competitive kilometres next season – 74.16km less than crews tackled in 2016.

The 2017 route will consist of the same ten stages that were used in 2016 and are spread across the Mediterranean island, although some have been lightly modified by the FFSA, the rally organiser and the governing body of French motorsport.

The length of the four stages that will run on Friday have been reduced by 37.04km, while Saturday's four tests have been shortened by 37.12km.

Sunday's route remains the same as the one used in 2016, with the 53.78km run through Antisanti-Poggio di Nazza – the longest stage of the rally – kicking off the final 64.20km of competitive action.

The service park will continue to be located at Bastia Airport and will be used between the ceremonial start in Ajaccio and the podium celebrations in Porto Vecchio at the end of the rally.

Although the rally route has been shortened, rally organisers are confident the 2017 event will continue to be a formidable challenge for the crews taking part.

“Once again, the French Motor Sports Federation’s aim is to enable the greatest number of fans to enjoy a magic setting and an event that’s like no other on the Île de Beauté," David Serieys, Che Guevara Energy Drink Tour de Corse Race Director, said.

"For 2017, we’ve laid on a shorter route for the teams and crews entered in the World Rally Championship, but it’s still as tough. The result will be an action-packed rally which, we hope, will appeal to the greatest possible number of people."

Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive

FORMER VOLKSWAGEN DRIVER ANDREAS MIKKELSEN WILL TAKE THE WHEEL OF A SKODA FABIA R5 AT NEXT MONTH'S RALLYE MONTE-CARLO, HAVING ACCEPTED THAT HE WON'T BE ABLE TO FIGHT FOR THE DRIVERS' CHAMPIONSHIP NEXT SEASON.

Like his former team-mates Sébastien Ogier and Jari-Matti Latvala, Mikkelsen was left without a manufacturer drive in 2017 after Volkswagen pulled the plug on its WRC programme last month.

But while Latvala and Ogier have secured seats at Toyota and M-Sport, the 27-year-old Norwegian hasn't been able to put together a top-level deal. 

Four weeks after winning this season's final round in Australia, Mikkelsen revealed he would be putting his title ambitions on hold in 2017 while he worked on a comeback in 2018. 

"The consequence of Volkswagen withdrawing from the championship is that all the WRC seats were already taken. Therefore, my 2017 season will be all about keeping my rally-overall warm and finding a seat in the right team to be able to fight for the WRC champion title in 2018," he said. 

"We don't know what the upcoming season will bring yet. But of course I hope to get to drive as much as possible and we are working on a plan to do selected rallies." 

The one-off deal for Rallye Monte-Carlo puts Mikkelsen and co-driver Anders Jæger [below] in Skoda's three-car WRC2 team along with Pontus Tidemand/Jonas Andersson and Jan Kopecký/Pavel Dresler. 

"It feels a bit like coming home," Mikkelsen reflected. "It was Skoda that gave me a chance in the beginning and together we got to celebrate two champion titles in the IRC championship, which gave me the opportunity to drive for Volkswagen Motorsport. Now that the situation is like it is, I think it will be fun to compete for Skoda again. We have many good memories."

Mikkelsen's manager, Erik Veiby, acknowledged that Volkswagen's late decision had forced a complete re-think. 

"To be here without a seat for Andreas is a little surreal. We are talking about the driver who beat the world champion at the last event in Australia and who has been third in the championship for three years in a row," Veiby said. 

"Looking at 2016, only Sebastien Ogier, Kris Meeke and Andreas won two or more WRC rounds. Our goal was for Andreas to take the world champion title in 2017. We still believe that he will be world champion, but now we have to postpone those plans until 2018."

Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive

TOYOTA PRESIDENT AKIO TOYODA PAID TRIBUTE TO TEAM GREATS DURING THE JAPANESE MANUFACTURER’S LAUNCH OF ITS 2017 WRC SQUAD IN HELSINKI ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

Toyoda, who masterminded the company’s return to the FIA World Rally Championship after a 17-year absence, recalled the success of former champions as Toyota won four drivers’ and three manufacturers’ titles before leaving the sport in 1999.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to express my respect for everyone who created a strong bond between rally and Toyota and etched that bond into people’s memory,” said Toyoda, who is also chairman of Toyota Gazoo Racing.

“They include the late Ove Andersson, who launched Toyota’s team in the 1970s and led since then, the late Björn Waldegård who catapulted Toyota to fame in WRC in the 1980s, and Carlos Sainz, Juha Kankkunen and Didier Auriol who captured drivers’ championships for Toyota in the 1990s.”

Rumours of a possible Toyota return first surfaced when Toyoda attended Finland’s WRC fixture in 2014 and he recalled that trip with delight.

 

“When I attended the WRC in Finland in July 2014 as a spectator, many fans asked when Toyota would be returning to the rally.

“I was extremely surprised and delighted that even after more than 10 years, many people remembered that once Toyota competed in WRC,” he said.

Toyoda drove the Yaris WRC recently, accompanied by team principal Tommi Mäkinen, and the experience convinced him the team is ready for its debut at the season-opening Rallye Monte-Carlo (19 - 22 January).

“Perceiving the car’s sound and smell, the feel of the steering wheel and pedals, and, more than anything else, the look on Tommi’s face, I was able to share with him a feeling of confidence in our ability to compete with this car.

“We will be doing our very best throughout this final month, right up until the WRC begins, so that we can as quickly as possible assure long-time fans that Toyota is back as the king of this kind of event and put smiles on old and new fans’ faces by affirming their choice to support our team,” added Toyoda.

TOYOTA YARIS WRC TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION  
Engine 4-cylinder, 1600cc turbo, direct injection
Power 380PS
Torque 425Nm
Bore / Stroke 83.8mm / 72.5mm
Gearbox 6-speed hydraulic shift
Drive 4-wheel drive, active centre and mechanical front and rear differentials
Clutch Double plate
Suspension MacPherson
Steering Hydraulic rack and pinion
Brakes 300mm gravel / 370mm asphalt
Length 4085mm
Width 1875mm
Wheelbase 2511mm
Weight 1190kg
Top speed 201kph
 

         

 

 

Search