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NEWLY CROWNED WORLD CHAMPIONS HEAD FOR

AUSTRALIACitroën and Sébastien Loeb, the newly crowned 2004 World Rally Champions are

heading for Australia with one purpose, to cap their historic 2004 season with victory in

the Telstra Rally Australia (11-14 November 2004).

This year will be Sébastien Loeb’s third Telstra Rally Australia, in 2002 in his Australian

debut and when Citroën were still fine tuning his Xsara WRC before a full entry in 2003,

the French driver came a very creditable seventh.

Last year, Loeb finished second to Petter Solberg’s Subaru when Loeb decided played for

points to help Citroën secure the Manufacturers’ World Title. This year, with both title

races already decided in Citroën and Loeb’s favour, the gloves are off for an all out battle

for the top space on the podium.

Citroën AustraliaStreet Address: Heritage Building, Campus Business Park, 350 Parramatta Road, Homebush NSW 2140. Postal Address: Ateco Automotive Pty Ltd, Locked Bag 260, Silverwater, NSW 1811Telephone: 02 9701 8000; Direct Telephone 02 9701 8015 Fax: 02 9701 3555. Mobile +61 0407 913 244 E-mail: [email protected] Media Web site: http://media.ateco.com.au/ A.B.N. 34 000 486 706

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"The fact that we have achieved our objectives takes some of the pressure off us,”

explains Sébastien. “Guy's decision to let as go as fast as possible has removed the little

pressure that remained. Psychologically, it means you can switch to maximum attack and

go for victory from the word go, without having other considerations at the back of your

mind. Petter Solberg is the benchmark on gravel and it is hard to say if I could match him

if I push harder. That said, it's not my style to enter a corner with two chances in three of

going off. I will drive at the limit of what is reasonable and see how it goes."

But there is another Citroën driver who would very much like to win in Australia: Carlos

Sainz. The world’s most successful driver of all time, who announced that this is his last

season before retiring and a recording-breaking 27 th on his final rally would be the

unquestioned cream on his career gateau.

Sainz, who proved with a win on the notoriously difficult Rally of Argentina this year that is

still very much a man to beat, came second in Rally Australia in 1990, third in 1992, third

again in 1996, second in 1998, second in 1999, eighth in 2001, fourth in 2002 and fourth

last year. A win, finally, in Australia, for a driver renowned for never giving up, must be on

the cards.

"Yes, I want to win in Australia,” says Carlos. “It will be much easier, given permission to

go as fast as we want. When you have a free hand, you can take more risks and try to

drive even faster. But it's still important to be at the finish. My objective will be to end the

season and my career on the highest note possible!"

Team manager, Guy Fréquelin, has taken the Citroen team to the top with quiet

determination and total resolve to be world champion. Now that this has been achieved,

the rules have changed.

“I have told Sébastien and Carlos that I have revised my usual objective,” he explains. “I

usually tell them to drive as quickly as possible without leaving the road. In Australia they

will be free to go as fast as they want, without hurting themselves - the Monte Carlo is

barely three months away – but that said, this freedom also means that they will have to

be competitive. We still want to win and the fact that we had victory snatched from our

grasp in Australia at the last minute last year is an added source of motivation. We will be

careful however to make sure that the interest of the media does not unsettle the

preparation of our drivers. I don't know whether we will win, but I can guarantee that we

will do everything in our power to try!”

The Citroen Xsara may be a French car, but for one part it, coming to Perth is a trip back

home, with its advanced hydraulic anti-roll bar being an invention of the WA-based

company, Kinetic. It is a part which has played a significant roll in the success of the team,

with both drivers saying that Kinetic’s work makes the Xsara more stable and responsive,

providing them with the confidence to by more aggressive with the Xsara.

The Citroen Xsara WRC appearing in Perth for the Telstra Rally of Australia is the gravel

version of the world beating car, Jean-Claude Vaucard, Citroën Sport chassis engineer

explains how this car is different from the tarmac version.

“The bodyshell is the same, but the "gravel" car rides higher because the ground

clearance has been increased,” he says “The reinforced half-axles, special springs and

dampers are unique to this version and are designed to soak up the bumps and

irregularities in the terrain that are much more severe than on tarmac events. The tyres

have the same outside diameter as asphalt tyres. They look bigger because their sidewall

is higher to take the potholes and bumps.”

Which must mean a smaller wheel diameter?

“That's right,” explains Jean-Claude Vaucard. “The gravel rims are 15 inches in diameter,

while asphalt rims are 18 inches. As a result, the diameter of the front brake disks is 315

mm instead of 376 mm. Less-powerful braking isn't a problem because of the weak grip

on the gravel surfaces, especially in Australia with its infamous surface of marbles!”

“Reinforced protection is essential in Australia because of the aggressive terrain. This

includes things like a thicker skid-pan under the front end, Kevlar over-moulding of the

floor pan, mud flaps and air-intake protection for driving through water. We also have to

be very aware of how, when wet, the Australian mud likes to stick to the car, so we have

ensure that it can be easily removed,” says Jean-Claude Vaucard.”

Citroën has made its name on tarmac events in the World Rally Championship, but it must

not be forgotten that the team has an enviable record in Rally Raid events, which in

toughness and length, make the WRC events look almost modest. So what information

has been transferred to the rally car?

“The suspension system has to allow each wheel to stick to the ground so that with good

differentials, the maximum power is transferred to the road under all conditions,” says

Jean-Claude Vaucard. “I would add that with this kind of set-up, the car still has to remain

easy to handle so that the driver can get the most out of it. And last, on hostile terrain like

we find in Australia, we mustn't forget reliability. It’s only possible to win when you finish!”

BACKSTAGE WITH THE CITROËN TEAM

The Crews Sébastien LOEB, Daniel ELENA Carlos SAINZ, Marc MARTI

The Car: The Citroën Xsara WRC Technical Specification

The Season so far Who won what, where and why.

Service: 20 minutes and not a second more! Rallies can be won or lost in the service are

Rally mechanics, attentive escorts Without them, no rally could be run

A rally with…the technical manager of Citroën Sport The man who makes it happen

Bivouac Team Service: catering for the extreme Like an army, a rally team marches on its stomach!

Why there will never be a case of “Car 54 where are you?” How Citroën knows where its cars are all the team.

A rally with Olivier Ballot, IT operations technician More computers than a branch of Harvey Norman!

The Torture chamber: Transmission Test Bench Gearboxes tortured to be the best.

The third passenger: The In-car camera. Bringing rally action to your TV

Pace notes, corner by corner The secret to going faster.

The Xsara WRC and its eight antennas Who are they talking to and why?

The CrewsSébastien LOEB Daniel ELENABorn 26 February 1974 Single Lives in Biel-Benken (Switzerland) Nationality : French

Born 26 October 1972 Married, one child Lives in Burgy France) Nationality : Monegasque

1995-96 Finalist in “Volant Rallye Jeunes” competition19973 wins in 1,300 cc class Named Best Young Hope by “Echappement” magazine19986th in Citroën Saxo Kit Car Trophy2000French Gravel Rally Champion, 2-litre, 2 wheel-drive category French Rally Championship with a Renault Maxi Mégane French Rally Championship with a Citroën Xsara Kit Car World Rally Championship with a Toyota Corolla2001FIA Super 1600 Champion with a Citroën Saxo S1600 (5 wins) French Rally Champion with a Citroën Xsara Kit Car (6 wins) World Rally Championship with a Citroën Xsara WRC2002World Rally Championship with a Xsara WRC 2nd overall in Monte Carlo Rally Winner in ADAC Deutschland Rally2003-2004Official Citroën driver with a Citroën Xsara WRC

1997 Member of the Young Rally Team Co-driver to Hervé Bernard Co-driver to Sébastien Loeb since 19982003-2004 World Rally Championship Co-driver to Sébastien Loeb with a Citroën Xsara WRC

Carlos SAINZ Marc MARTIBorn 12 April 1962 Married, three children Live in Madrid Nationality : Spanish Hobbies : squash, football, tennis & water skiing

Born 1 October 1966 in Molina de Rei Married, one child Lives in Molina de Rei Nationality : Spanish

1980 Rally-racing debut (Seat Panda)

1995Co-driver to Oriol Gomez

1984 Spanish Champion – First in central region1987-88 Spanish Rally Champion1990 World Rally Champion Wins the Acropolis, New Zealand, Finland and Great Britain rallies (Toyota) 19912nd in World Rally Championship Wins the Monte Carlo, Portugal, Tour of Corsica, New Zealand and Argentina rallies (Toyota) 1992 World Rally Champion Wins the Kenya, New Zealand, Catalunya and Great Britain rallies (Toyota) 19942nd in World Rally Championship Wins the Acropolis Rally (Subaru) 19952nd in World Rally Championship Wins the Monte Carlo, Portugal and Catalunya rallies (Subaru) 19962nd in World Rally Championship Wins the Rally of Indonesia (Ford) 19982nd in World Rally Championship Wins the Monte Carlo and New Zealand rallies (Toyota) 20023rd in the World Rally Championship Wins the Rally of Argentina (Ford) 20033rd in the World Rally Championship with a Xsara WRC Winner of the Rally of Turkey2004 World Rally Championship Official Citroën driver with a Citroën Xsara WRC

1st in 2-litre category in the World Rally Championship1999-2000Co-driver to Jesús Puras with a Citroën Xsara Kit Car Spanish Rally Champion2001Co-driver to Jesús Puras with a Citroën Xsara WRC Wins the Tour of Corsica2002Co-driver to Carlos Sainz – Rally of Catalunya Co-driver to Jesús Puras with a Citroën Xsara WRC – Rally of Germany2003-2004World Rally Championship Co-driver to Carlos Sainz with a Citroën Xsara WRC

The Car: The Citroën Xsara WRCWhen it came to developing the Citroën Xsara WRC, the car maker took a very deliberate decision to ensure that where ever possible, Citroën would produce the rally car themselves. This is unlike some other carmakers who farm out so much of the design and construction of their competition cars that little more than the name on the side is there’s.

Thus when Citroën won the manufacturers’ title in 2003 and again in 2004, it can be truly said that Citroën won the prize.

The car starts as a normal Citroën Xsara Coupe bodyshell that is extracted from the normal production line before it painted. At Citroën Sport’s HQ, the body has all the additional body panels added, all of which were styled by the same team that did the original car, and the safety equipment is welded into the strengthen body shell.

The engine is a development of the 1.8 litre engine that can be found in normal road going Xsaras. It is bored out to 2.0 litres, turned and turbocharged. The drivetrain, while full developed and design by Citroën, is build by specialist company X-trac, due to the expensive equipment required to make gearboxes and differentials. Suspension, though, is an entirely in-house design and construction process, as are the electrics which, like the road cars, are now multiplex, reducing weight and making servicing quicker and easier.

ENGINETurbocharged water cooler four cylinder engine, developed from the XU7JP4 engine Layout: transverse, tilted 30° towards the exhaust Number of cylinders: 4 in line; Aluminium block Capacity (cc): 1,998 Max power (bhp – rpm): 315 at 5,500; Max torque (mkg – rpm): 58 at 2,7502 overhead camshafts driven by a toothed belt 4 valves per cylinderMagneti-Marelli multipoint injection Type 2KRCAR WEIGHT1,230 kg (minimum authorized)CHASSIS4 wheel drive Carbon three-disc clutch; 3 electronic differentials 6 speed Semi-automatic gearbox with column mounted paddle actuationBRAKESFront – Asphalt: ventilated discs, 6-pot calipers; Gravel: ventilated discs, 4-pot calipers Rear- Asphalt and gravel : ventilated discs, 4-pot calipers Front/rear distribution adjustable by lever Hydraulic handbrake SUSPENSIONFront and rear: MacPherson type with coil spring ExtremTech Shock AbsorbersSTEERINGHydraulic power assisted

WHEELSRims: asphalt: 8 x 18 inch; gravel : 7 x 15 inch Michelin tyres: asphalt: 20/65-18; gravel: 17/65-15DIMENSIONSLength: 4,167 mm; Width: 1,770 mm; Wheel base: 2,555 mm Front track: 1,568 mm; Rear track: 1568 mm

The season so far…..MONTE CARLO RALLY RALLY OF SWEDEN RALLY OF MEXICO

25/1/2004 8/2/2004 14/3/2004Citroen has thrown down the gauntlet

to the other teams in the 2004 World Rally Championship with an emphatic win by Sébastien Loeb in the opening round of the season, the Monte Carlo Rally, by steering his Citroen Xsara WRC to the winner’s podium with more than a minute to spare.

The talented French driver took the lead on day one, stamped his domination on the event on day two by winning every stage, and the then cruised home to victory on day three leaving all the other teams and drivers in his wake. It was a repeat of his win in one of the world’s most famous motorsport events, when he lead Citroen to a 1-2-3 win last year, Citroen’s first step to winning the 2003 World Rally Championship crown for manufacturers.

Citroën has broken the Scandinavian strangle hold the Swedish round of the World Rally Championship with Sébastien Loeb becoming the first ever non-Scandinavian to win the snow and ice bound round of the Championship in 54 years of rallying.

With two wins out of two events in the 2004 World Rally Championship, Sébastien Loeb and his Citroën Xsara WRC are also putting their own strangle hold on the Drivers' Championship title race, while Citroen now heads the manufacturers title chase.

Not only did Loeb end more than five decades of Scandinavian home ground victories, he did it in one of the hardest Swedish Rallies on record. As we as the traditional ice, snow and sub-zero temperatures that make this event such test of man and machine and a gift for the Scandinavians who call this home, day one opened with the more traditional rally elements of mud and gravel after a premature snow melt, making tyre choice a nightmare.

The Championship’s debut round in Mexico reminded Citroën just how unforgiving rallying can be, but a third place for Carlos Sainz was just enough to keep Citroën in second place for manufacturers’ title chase and Citroën’s Loeb is now first equal in the drivers title race.

“Coming out of a very fast corner, the car took off,” Sébastien explained, “Where it touched back down, the road was cambered, with, in the middle, a rock solidly set in the compacted earth. The sump guard was smashed upwards into the engine sump and the oil emptied out of the damaged sump.”

What happened next was inevitable: a drop in oil pressure, a damaged engine, and retirement. The shortest stage of the final day saw three cars from three different manufacturers finish within a tenth of a second of each other, a remarkable result. Unfortunately, Citroën was not one of those car makers. Pushing hard for another fastest time, Carlos did a multiple roll in the Xsara. But the strength of the car and Carlos strength of will meant they lost just one minute and 20 seconds and one place.

1. S. Loeb/D. Elena (Citroën Xsara) 2. M. Märtin/M.Park (Ford Focus) 3. F. Duval/S. Prevot (Ford Focus)4. M. Grönholm/T. Rautiainen (Peugeot

307)5. F. Loix/S. Smeets (Peugeot 307)

1. Loeb/Elena Citroen Xsara2. Gronholm/Rautiainen Peugeot 307 3. P.Solberg/Mills Subaru Impreza4. Tuohino/Aho Ford Focus5. Sainz/Marti Citroen Xsara

1. Martin/Park Ford Focus2. Duval/Prevot Ford Focus3. Sainz/Marti Citroen Xsara4. Solberg/Mills Subaru Impreza5. Hirvonen/Lehtinen Subaru Impreza

RALLY NEW ZEALAND RALLY OF CYPRUS ACROPOLIS RALLY18/4/2004 16/5/2004 6/6/2004

Sébastien Loeb has put the 2004 Citroen Xsara WRC one step off the podium in its debut outing in the weekend’s (16-18 April 2004) World Rally Championship round in New Zealand and, combined with Carlos Sainz’ sixth place, Citroen added eight points to its World Rally Championship account, while Sébastien Loeb is just one point off the lead in the drivers’ title chase.

As well as working to set up a new car – Citroen had changed the suspension, engine and bodywork in the 2004 Xsara WRC – Loeb also had to cope with being the road sweeper in the opening stages.

With a second place for Sébastien Loeb and a fourth place for Carlos Sainz in the Rally of Cyprus, Citroen strengthened its attack on both the drivers’ and manufacturers’ 2004 World Rally Championship titles.

In some of the toughest conditions of the season, which saw favourites such as Solberg and Rovanperä fall by the wayside and Ford’s Martin have problems with the dirt, dust and rocks. Loeb put in another mature performance that belies his youth. For the majority of the event he held second place, keeping his Citroen Xsara on the road and even putting six fastest stage times but not risking all to catch winner Gronholm.

Citroën now leads both the drivers’ and the manufacturers’ World Rally Championship title chases after another fine performance in the Acropolis Rally, the Greek round of the WRC, with Citroën the only manufacturer to bring all its team across the finish line.

Sébastien Loeb finished second overall to strengthen his hold on the drivers’ title race and that result enabled Citroën to regain the lead in the manufacturers’ championship aided by three points from Carlos Sainz also bringing his Citroën Xsara home.

Loeb took second place after an acclaimed hard charge on the final day.

1.P. Solberg/Ph. Mills (Subaru Impreza)2.M.Grönholm/T.Rautiainen(Peu. 307) 3.M. Märtin/M.Park (Ford Focus)4.S. Loeb/D. Elena (Citroën Xsara)5.H. Rovanperä/R.Pietilainen (Peu. 307)6.C. Sainz/M. Marti (Citroën Xsara)

1.M. Grönholm/T. Rautiainen (Peugeot 307)2.Loeb/D. Elena (Citroën Xsara) 3.M. Märtin/M.Park (Ford Focus)4.C. Sainz/M. Marti (Citroën Xsara)5.H. Rovanperä/R.Pietilainen (Peugeot 307)

1. P. Solberg/Ph. Mills (Subaru Impreza)2. S. Loeb/D. Elena (Citroën Xsara) 3. H. Rovanperä/R.Pietilainen (Peugeot 307)4. F. Duval/S.Prevot (Ford Focus) 5. D. Carlsson/M. Andersson (Peugeot 206)

RALLY OF TURKEY RALLY OF ARGENTINA RALLY OF FINLAND27/6/2004 18/7/04 6/9/2004

Citroen has strengthened its grip on the 2004 World Rally Championship with Sébastien Loeb scoring his fourth win of the season in Turkey at the weekend (25-27 June 2004) giving the young French driver a nine point lead in the drivers’ championship and, combined with team mate Carlos Sainz’ fourth place, Citroen now leads the manufacturers’ title chase with a margin of 15 points.

For once being first on the road on Day One, the role of championship leader was not a disadvantage for Loeb. Heavy rain made the stages a mud slide and the loose gravel that normally has to be cleared by the lead driver gave Loeb a grip advantage and he went into the second day with a healthy lead over a hard charging Markus Gronholm, who was determined to reverse his early-season poor form. Championship challenger Marku Martin had a miserable day when his Focus charged through a water splash and then wouldn’t start for an agonising 40 minutes, while world champion Petter Solberg suffered body work damage in another water splash, which it being mid-summer, most teams had expected to be bone-dry.

In addition to this thrilling finale, Carlos Sainz’ strength of will should also be highlighted. On Saturday, he suffered from sun stroke and dehydration to the point where the medical staff even hesitated to let him drive again, but for Carlos “he-who-never-gives-up” Sainz this was simply out of the question. He started again. It is only when he stopped for the overnight halt that he admitted to team boss Guy Fréquelin: “At some points, I thought I couldn’t do it!”

Carlos Sainz re-claimed the crown as the world’s best rally driver of all time after leading A Citroën 1-2 in this weekend’s Rally of Argentina (16-18 July 2004) which has also strengthened his team mate Sebastian Loeb’s grip on the 2004 World Drivers’ Championship and extended Citroën’s leading in the manufacturers’ title chase.

The Spanish veteran went into the Rally of Argentina sharing the world’s best title with his former Citroën team mate, Colin McRae, with 25 World Championship rally wins each since the WRC started in 1973. But the win in Argentina enabled Sainz to best the Scotsman, who isn’t competing in the WRC this season, to take the title as the world’s best ever rally driver.

It was this broad experience the highest echelon of competition that without doubt provided Sainz with his 26th victory, with two previous wins here and many podium finishes and it is no coincidence that his main competition, indeed that the battle that dominated the rally, came from another former world champion, Marcus Gronholm, who lead the rally until his Peugeot 307 hit a rock, putting him out of the event.

Sébastien Loeb, who had been following in third place, knew that there was little point trying to challenge his team mate and took second place in the event, along with another haul of points to add to his championship lead.

Citroen maintained its double lead in the world Championship, with Carlos Sainz’ 92nd career podium finish moving him into the top four in the drivers’ championship, while Sébastien Loeb’s fourth place places him 22 points ahead of second place rival, Subaru’s Petter Solberg who failed to finish the event.

Sainz’ and Loeb’s third and fourth place also maintain Citroën’s 26 point lead in the manufacturers title chase.

Competing in Finland for only the third time, Citroen knew from the start of the event that their relative lack of experience in an event that is traditionally dominated by home drivers would count against them, even if Carlos Sainz was the first non-Scandinavian to win the event.

At the end of the first group of special stages on Friday, Carlos and Sébastien were lying in eighth and twelfth positions. Well served by their excellent knowledge of the terrain, the group of local specialists were well in the lead, driven by national pride, while Sébastien, as championship leader and last event winner, had undertaken his now habitual job of opening the road, and the initial set-up of the Xsaras still needed to be fine-tuned.

1.S. Loeb/D. Elena (Citroën Xsara)2. M. Grönholm/T. Rautiainen (Peugeot

307)3.P. Solberg/Ph. Mills (Subaru Impreza)4.C. Sainz/M. Marti (Citroën Xsara)5.F. Duval/S.Prevot (Ford Focus)

1 Sainz/Marti Citroen Xsara87.2 km/h2 Loeb/Elena Citroen Xsara+ 01'32"5 + 01'32"53 Duval/Prevot Ford Focus+ 04'23"5 + 02'51"04 Hirvonen/Lehtinen Subaru Imprezza

4h31'38"75 Rovanpera/Pietilainen Peugeot 307

4h33'10"9

1. M. Grönholm/T. Rautiainen (Peugeot 307)2. M. Märtin/M. Park (Ford Focus)3. C. Sainz/M. Marti (Citroën Xsara)4. S. Loeb/D. Elena (Citroën Xsara)J. Tuohino/J. Aho (Ford Focus)

RALLY OF GERMANY RALLY OF JAPAN RALLY GB WALES22/8/2004 5/9/2004 19/9/2004

Citroën strengthened its grip on the 2004 World Rally Championship with a commanding win by Sébastien Loeb in his Citroën Xsara at the German round of the WRC, his third consecutive win the German Rally, his six win this season and Citroën’s seventh victory.

Sébastien Loeb now has 29 point advantage over second placed Marko Martin in the drivers’ championship, while Citroen heads Ford by an equal 29 point margin for the manufacturers’ championship.

Citroën lead the Rally of Germany from start to finish, first in the hands of Carlos Sainz, who finished third overall and from stage two, Sébastien Loeb. But this is not say it was an easy rally across the tank training grounds and vineyards around Trier. The rally will be remembered for the atrocious weather conditions, which made the first two days of the event so difficult.

The Rally of Germany is almost a local event for Sébastien Loeb, coming as he does from just across the border in France, so thousands of fans poured across the border to watch the young Frenchman claim his third German crown.

Sébastien Loeb extended his lead in the 2004 World Rally Championship and Citroën has tightened its grip on the manufacturers’ title after the French driver played it safe in Japan to finish second behind the hard charging Subaru of Petter Solberg.

The debut of the Rally of Japan in the World Rally Championship presented all the teams with a range of challenges, not least of which was a lack of experience on which to prepare cars and pace notes. For Subaru, there was the added incentive of putting on a good performance in front of the home crowd.

Sébastien Loeb adopted two different strategies for the debut event. First, he started following the “way of the Samurai”. Despite the fact as winner of the last round first on the road and therefore he was cleaning the road of loose gravel for other competitors, he finished the first leg equalling the Petter Solberg’s stage wins to take second place.

Then, when victory seemed difficult to obtain and his pursuers less threatening, Sébastien adopted the “way of the wise man”, showing his great self-control qualities while his Citroën Xsara proved just as reliable.

Citroen strengthened its grip on the 2004 World Rally Championship with the reigning manufacturers’ title holder extending its lead in the 2004 title chase thanks to second and fourth places in the UK round of the championship for Sébastien Loeb, now with 28 point lead in the drivers’ championship, and Carlos Sainz in the Citroën Xsara WRC.

The battle between Loeb and Solberg dominated the event, with Loeb leading from the start to the penultimate stage, where he finally succumbed to the pressure from a relentless challenge by Subaru’s Petter Solberg.

The ice-cool Frenchman decided that it was better to maintain his championship position than risk an event ending ‘off’ challenging Solberg, who was on a do-die mission to snatch victory from Loeb in the dieing seconds of the event. Loeb’s performance during the rally proved that he was not prepared to take easy with his substantial lead in the drivers’ championship.

1.S. Loeb/D. Elena (Citroën Xsara)2.F. Duval/S. Prevot (Ford Focus)3. C. Sainz/M. Marti (Citroën Xsara)4.M. Märtin/M. Park (Ford Focus)5.C. Robert/G. Bedon (Peugeot 307)

1.P. Solberg/Ph. Mills (Subaru Impreza)2. S. Loeb/D. Elena (Citroën Xsara)3. M. Märtin/M. Park (Ford Focus)4. M. Grönholm/T.Rautiainen (Peug 3075.C. Sainz/M. Marti (Citroën Xsara)

1.P.Solberg-Mills Subaru Impreza2.Loeb-Elena Citroen Xsara 3.Martin-Park Ford Focus 4.Sainz-Marti Citroen Xsara 5.Duval-Prevot Ford Focus

RALLY OF SARDINIA RALLY OF CORSICA RALLY CATALUNYA3/10/2004 17/10/2004 31/10/2004

Second and third in the Rally of Sardinia for the Citroën teams of Sébastien Loeb and Carlos Sainz has enabled Citroën to edge closer to the ultimate crown in the World Rally Championship, the double title win, with Loeb just five points away from an unassailable lead and seven points separating Citroën from the same position for its second manufacturers’ title.

On the podium for the tenth time in his career and his fifth second place this season, Loeb once again demonstrated maturity beyond his years

In only their second year in the World Rally Championship, Citroën have taken both 2004 world titles with Sébastien Loeb securing the drivers’ championship with a second place his home event and team mate Carlos Sainz’ third place providing sufficient points to give Citroën the manufacturers’ title.

Loeb once again demonstrated his mature approach, driving fast enough to secure his fourth second place of the year, but not so fast as to jeopardize both his and the team’s championship dream of winning both titles on their home event.

At the end of the final stage Loeb, a former Olympic gymnast, leap from the car doing multiple somersaults!

«Carlos Sainz, champion for ever », said one of the numerous banners displayed by the aficionados of this most popular of Spanish champions.

At the end of the 194th rally of his brilliant career, Carlos Sainz, with the help of Marc Marti, fought until the very end with Marcus Grönholm for second place, and added a 96th podium – his eighth of the season – to his unequalled, possibly unbeatable, career record.

Sebatien Loeb lead the event in an awesome battle with Ford’s Duval and Martin until a stone punctured his Citroën’s sump and that was the end of his event.

1.P. Solberg/Ph. Mills (Subaru Impreza)2.S. Loeb/D. Elena (Citroën Xsara)3.C. Sainz/M. Marti (Citroën Xsara)4.Navarra/S. Fedeli (Subaru Impreza)5.F. Duval/S.Prevot (Ford Focus)

1.M. Märtin/M. Park (Ford Focus)2.S. Loeb/D. Elena (Citroën Xsara)3.C. Sainz/M. Marti (Citroën Xsara) 4.M. Grönholm/T. Rautiainen (Peu. 307)5.P. Solberg/Ph. Mills (Subaru Impreza)

1. M. Märtin/M. Park (Ford Focus)2. M.Grönholm/T.Rautiainen(Peu. 307)3. C. Sainz/M. Marti (Citroën Xsara)4. S. Sarrazin/P. Pivato (Subaru Impreza)P. Solberg/Ph. Mills (Subaru Impreza)

Service: 20 minutes and not a second more!With the exception of the 45 minute service parks at the end of the first two stages, all the “service parks” have a set duration of twenty minutes. Each one sets the scene for an orchestrated flurry of activity, at the end of which the Xsara and the team both leave the park with the sense of a job well done.

Each service park involves around fifteen team members, working around the car, the driver and the co-driver. The role of each person, in “normal” circumstances, is as follows:

The driver: Parks the car in the place indicated by the team manager. Holds a brief conversation with the “chassis” and “engine” engineers and the Michelin technician to finalise the decisions taken. He is then “captured” by the osteopath and taken to the motor home.

The co-driver: Sitting in the bucket seat, wearing his Peltor helmet, he contacts the gravel crew and writes down any corrections for the next specials before joining the driver.

The team manager: Listens to the mini technical briefing and shares out the workload. He may lend a hand while also keeping an eye on the work in progress. The mechanic reports back to him after tightening the wheels. It is the team manager who closes the pin locks on the bonnet. He also guides the driver as he reverses out of the parking space.

The electrician: As soon as the car stops, the electrician plugs in the park battery and the cable that transfers data for subsequent analysis from the onboard systems to the engineer’s computers. He also checks the radio equipment (helmets, peltors, batteries) and lifts the bonnet to run an eye over the electrical harnesses and check the main connectors.

The mechanics: Take up their position next to each wheel and removes it. The skidplate (lower body protection at the front) is removed. The first job of the mechanics is to inspect the surrounding area. Anything amiss must be immediately identified so that the necessary corrective action can be taken without delay. They then visually check the tightening (going by the mark on the nut or pin). They make any adjustments required in terms of settings, anti-roll bars, etc.).

The "SSB" (suspension-steering-brakes) mechanic: Holds responsibility for the area around the front right-hand wheel. If the shock absorbers have to be adjusted, he will perform this task on all four wheels.

The engine specialist: Runs an eye over the accessories and distribution, checks throttle operation and adjusts the water injection level of the engine.

The "gearbox” mechanic: Checks the transmission.

The tyre technician and his assistant: Their first task is to examine the wheels removed by the mechanics. The assistant cleans the windscreen and bodywork inside and outside.

Five minutes before the start, the tyres selected are fitted on the car.

Rally mechanics, attentive escortsThe mechanics of Citroën Sport share their time between the team workshops at Versailles Satory, test tracks and rally venues. Four of them talked about their multi-faceted job.

From Formula One to World Rally ChampionshipThe mechanics of Citroën Sport exercise their profession in different ways, depending on whether they are in the brightly lit Xsara WRC assembly hall, on a makeshift test base at the end of a deserted stretch of road, or in one of the strictly organised service parks of the world rally championship.

Cyril Tribondeau came to Citroën from F1 racing. He experienced his first rally in Catalunya in 2002.

“I was surprised by the size of the Xsara compared with a carbon single-seater, and by the use of steel as the main material. The car is assembled in exactly the same way. You have to assemble the “latest definition” parts with precision. It’s just a little more complicated for rallies because, unlike in F1, the car exists in two versions: asphalt and gravel. The regulations are stricter in rallying. But in technical terms, the level is very high in both disciplines. The gear-changing systems are similar and electronics are omnipresent.” Chassis: the essential role of Satory In the central hall at Citroen Sport HQ, a team leader and two mechanics are assembling a Xsara WRC from top to bottom.

“The main tasks involve preparing the body shell and making all sorts of minor tweaks and adjustments, including some to spare parts,” explains Pierre Ambrosetti. All three mechanics could actually assemble the car and all its sub-assemblies with their eyes closed.

“But we don’t,” continues Pierre, “we keep our eyes peeled to track down the smallest detail, such as wear on a pipe that is rubbing against another part. This is what we really enjoy about the job. When we fit a part, it’s as if we were rediscovering it. And the dismantling process when the car comes back from the race is equally important if not more so. We note the slightest anomaly. While we’re working, we try to come up with solutions. Everybody puts forward their ideas, good or not so good, and we pick out the best. All sorts of interesting solutions have come out of these discussions.”

The engine laboratory: a central hubA few dozen metres from the central workshop, peace reigns in the engine laboratory. Haste and hurry have no place in this workshop, where the watchwords are analysis and precision.

“Our job is to supply engines for the two benches, the test cars and – naturally – the racing cars, says Fernando Isidoro. Here too, the personnel take responsibility for their work. “A mechanic assembles “his” engine alone, “says Fernand, not without pride. “And he puts his own stamp on it. Each of us has our own specific colour.”

A central hub in the organisation, the laboratory sends the development engines to the test benches. These benches are used to test new parts as well as to run-in and check each engine before the race. If the development engines pass the bench test, they are sent off to be fitted in the test cars, together with the engines that have completed their allotted number of races and will henceforth be used for tests.

“One point that is common to all these engines,” says Fernando, “is that they leave here new or good as new”.

Tests: careful preparation For Christian Fourmond’s team, a test session begins by assembling the test car. This is followed by a thorough preparation process.

“If you’re going to Argentina, you’d better make sure you don’t forget anything,” smiles Christian. “Placing the parts in containers demands stringent organisation. When we arrive, we spend two days taking the parts out of the containers and transferring them to hired lorries. Sometimes we have to start by doing a bit of mechanical work on the hired lorries themselves.”

This is what sets the test team apart and, in the eyes of Christian; it is also what gives the job its appeal.

“We have to be proactive and resourceful. We’re called upon to do all sorts of things including welding and plastics work. We’re working on the car all the time. Naturally, the pace isn’t as fast as it is during the race and you haven’t got the pressure. But even so, you have to respect strict timing in a test session to make sure that the car remains off the road for as little time as possible.”

The thrill of the race The single service park of today’s rallies bears no resemblance to the rally raid bivouacs experienced in the past by most members of the team. Fernando laughs as he looks back on “the nights spent rebuilding an engine in the middle of the desert”. But he still gets the same thrill out of “the atmosphere of the race, the surge of adrenalin when the car arrives”. As an engine specialist, he inspects each point on his check list and then “if everything is normal, I make myself available as a mechanic”.

Pierre would feel frustrated if he could not run a car that he had assembled. He too talks about the surge of adrenalin experienced by the service team. “You have to stay calm. That’s easy when everything’s going well. If a problem occurs during a race, you have to take action quickly. The pressure can be enormous but you have to keep a clear head and make sure that every movement is exact and precise, without forgetting anything”.

The ability to concentrate, to keep a clear head and to take precise action under pressure: these qualities could also be used to describe the job of the driver and co-driver during a special. Clearly, a number of parallels can be drawn between the different branches of the team.

A rally with…the technical manager of Citroën Sport

Jean-Claude Vaucard (left) manages a merry band of 170 people. The score they play is based on three keynote activities: design, development and operation; offices and labs (engine, chassis, transmission, suspension-steering-braking, bodywork, etc.); and services (3D inspection, warehouse, equipment.

All of these activities are based on a precise and logical structure. Day-to-day coordination involves visits to the workshops, discussions – with at least three meetings – and written reports, "a good one-and-a-half hours of reading". Jean-Claude deals with priorities.

"If a problem likely to cause vehicle failure arises during the race, our golden rule is to find a solution before the following event."

He manages forecasting activities "using an annual plan that is reviewed every three months." He keeps a monthly performance chart in order to provide Guy Fréquelin with all the information he needs – "he's very keen to have technical data" – and also manages budgetary aspects.

"Each departmental or lab manager conducts his own monthly follow-up. That way, they're responsible for what they send. With all these activities, Jean-Claude Vaucard spends far less time behind the wheel of a development car. He misses "the impressions and experience, talking to the driver, looking for the right way ahead, celebrating progress and, even when an idea leads to a dead end and disappointment, the necessary feeling of humility."

Born in Verdun, Jean-Claude Vaucard holds an engineering degree from the ESTACA school. An amateur rally driver (French division 2 champion in 1982), he has worked with seven different sets of technical regulations! He started off with a Talbot Lotus Group 2, "a great car, you could do everything yourself". When Jean Todt signed him up to take part in the 205 T16 adventure, he discovered Group B and "its amazing technical freedom". In long distance rallies, "we had to manage the vertical plane, reliability, access for assistance." The Pike's Peak hill race was a real challenge. "With 780 bhp for 800 kg, the car was still spinning its wheels in fifth!"

Then came Le Mans: "I was against this taxi drivers' race to start of with, but I changed my mind. The cars had to be powerful and reliable with advanced aerodynamics." The kit car regulations were also a formative experience. "That taught us how to convey high levels of power to the front wheels alone."

And last the WRC. "It's a wonderful experience. The regulations are sufficiently accommodating to leave us considerable leeway in design. These are high-tech cars. We're exploring the field of onboard electronics. By making rally cars easier to drive, we're contributing to the advance of the automotive industry…"

Through his extensive experience, Jean-Claude Vaucard has developed a clear philosophy. "Each line of reasoning must be taken to the extreme. Nothing must be neglected. Every gramme counts, because of its weight and because of its position. If you believe it yourself, then you can pass the message on to others. Your converts will then continue to pass on the good word!"

Auckland. Tuesday, 13 April. Singapore Airlines flight 285 touches down gently and Jean-Claude Vaucard gives a small smile. Rally New Zealand is about to begin.

For the technical manager of Citroën Sport, preparations for the New Zealand rally began a long time ago at Versailles-Satory, and at the Manresa test base in Spain. Jean-Claude Vaucard can be sure that everything

is in order. The arrival of the team marks the real start of the race, and that's always thrill for this former driver. "I really need motor sport. I get a real kick out of it despite the stress."

We leave the airport and head for the workshop, which is located in Otahunu, in the southern suburbs of Auckland. At the end of Manu Street, in the immense hangar rented by Citroën Sport, lunch is in progress. A relaxed setting in which to brief the group that has just arrived.

"Preparation of the Xsara is in the final stages and that's something I like to be present for. I need that physical contact with the rally car." At 6 pm, the entire team is present for the pre-rally briefing. Yves Matton, WRC coordinator, analyses the new regulations in detail. François Chatriot, sports manager then takes the floor, followed by Jean-Claude, who talks about "the technical aspects, Remote Tyre Zones, the "Mille Pistes" format, and the need to choose tyres in the three minutes after clocking-in at the entrance to the park."

The long first day in New Zealand – following on from a long air flight – draws to an end. We head for the Sky City hotel.

Wednesday. Shakedown day. We take road SH16 to Kaukapakapa and Komokoriki Hill Road. "Since Mexico, the shakedown has been half as long. Two hours. That's just not enough," says Jean-Claude. "As we're not allowed to perform tests in other countries, it would be a good idea if we could have the four hours previously allocated for these rallies." The Citroën teams have to content themselves with four passes, interspersed by technical adjustments carried out at high speed. At 4 pm, the road is closed. The debriefing session begins straight away.

Guy Fréquelin, Jean-Claude, the engineers and the drivers analyse the behaviour of the Xsara and decide on the technical definition to be adopted at the start of the race. The cars then go back to the workshop. "The next job usually is to define the set up. At the same time, the mechanics undertake a long series of checks. Add to that the fact that we had to solve an electronic problem affecting the launch control that optimises fast starts in specials. We spent quite a while trying to find out what was wrong. Guy Fréquelin took the wheel to make a series of standing starts with each of the two cars. After a long series of tests, we thought we'd cracked it."

Thursday 2 pm. The drivers have just finished the first reconnaissance pass. Time for a tyre meeting. The selection of tyres for the evening's super special and for the first full day of the event is made on the basis of such criteria as the total number of tyres for each driver, the weather forecast, and the possibilities for regrooving.

Thursday, 8 pm. Super special. Sébastien Loeb and Carlos Sainz report a reappearance of a fault in the launch control system. The cars were in the parc fermé all night so we couldn't work on them. All we had was the data acquisition.". Giving heartfelt thanks for the ten-hour time difference with Paris, Guy Fréquelin and Jean-Clause set up an emergency plan. Back in Satory, the telephone started ringing in the office of engineer Xavier Mestelan-Pinon……

Xavier immediately programmes the IT data sent from Auckland on a Xsara. The car is then taken to the Val d'Or track to test it on standing starts. The objective: to reproduce the problem and so find a solution. At the Sky City Hotel, Guy and Jean-Claude are finding it hard to get to sleep. "I phoned at 3 in the morning. It was 5 am at Satory; They'd just found the problem." What a relief!

"Each stage follows the same procedure. The team arrives one hour before the first Xsara. With the "Mille Pistes" format, the drivers come back to the park after the specials." This is useful for choosing tyres. Jean-Claude Vaucard provides information and stirs things up a little.

"I provide the weather forecast and I also get ideas moving. Nobody's opinion should be ignored. At the same time, the mechanics review the set-up, performing checks and changes if requested. Here again, we need to keep the discussion going from one car to the next. Communication is vital during service operations."

The cars set off again and the race continues on screen. "The split times are analysed in detail. The dialogue is continuous between all the engineers, with input from those who performed the recce. We have to understand, anticipate and always ask ourselves the question: "are we as good as we could be?". The return of the Xsara after each loop provides additional information.

The team also observes the competition's cars and the state of their tyres. Guy Fréquelin, who never misses a special, adds his visual analysis of the behaviour of the Citroëns and their adversaries. The parameters are updated. They will be updated again after each loop, right up to the finish… and beyond. A debriefing is held immediately after the finish, with Guy Fréquelin, Jean-Claude, the teams, the WRC coordinator, the sports manager and all the engineers. "The drivers are the ones who do the most talking. When we don't win, the main subject of the debriefing is always: "what was lacking?"

Bivouac Team Service: catering for the extreme

Somewhat famously, the Citroën team enjoy food that has been awarded a much sort after Michelin star for its quality. But this is not an affectation or marketing idea. Like an army, a rally team marches on its stomach.

“If we are contacted for a christening or a marriage, we say no,” says Gérald Schoppig. “That’s not our line of business. But ask us to feed a hundred people in the middle of the Sahara or even on the moon, then we’ll go for it!”

With the slogan “catering for the extreme” and the quip that goes with it, Gérald Schoppig sums up the concept first devised by Géraud Delhon-Bugard which, one fine evening in January 2001, caught the ears of several Sodexho executives. The idea was to offer French catering services in the most unexpected places.

A few days later, BTS – Bivouac Team Service – was born. Today, with the BTS brigade in the kitchen, Citroën Sport can be sure that its teams will eat healthy, balanced meals at the exact times dictated by the demands of the race, and in all fourteen countries visited by the championship.

New rally rules mean that technical team members now stay in the service park, waiting for the Xsaras to return after each loop of the special. The cars’ first stopover is programmed for 7 am. The Citroën team takes up its positions one hour before. For the five members of Bivouac Team Service (Gérald Schoppig, Jean-Claude Boisson, Fabien Chevalier, Alain Rodon and Wilfried Bonnet) this means that the coffee must be on the boil by around 5.30 am, and a spread of croissants, cereals and fruit juices laid out ready for early risers. For the others, breakfast proper is served when the drivers are already off on their first series of specials. After the cars’ second stopover, the mechanics and technical staff, hard at work since dawn, take time off for a tasty snack of hot pizzas and quiches. When the three Xsaras leave again after the mid-day break, the entire technical team sits down for lunch under a large awning attached to the Citroën motor-home. Dinner will be served likewise, after the last long evening assistance session.

Healthy, balanced meals When discussing the meals on offer, Gérald points out that BTS is a restaurateur in the full sense of the word. “We cook all our food on the spot using fresh produce. We are very different from caterers who cook food in their own kitchens, then reheat it at the point of consumption.”

BTS has a specially equipped 19-tonne lorry for all its cooking needs. “We bring some of our produce from France in the refrigerated compartment. The section at ambient temperature is used to store our equipment: tent, floor, ‘piano’, refrigerated table, fridge, sink, dishwasher, cooking utensils, etc.”

Though the equipment and some of the food come from France, perishables are purchased locally. “We need to be well-informed beforehand” explains Gérald, “and make contact with local suppliers. Though we can also produce meals from local ingredients. In Turkey, for example, we knew that mutton, beef and chicken were available and we offered meals that were a bit spicier than usual. In fact, the menus depend on the season, the temperature and the country – we don’t serve the same meals in Sweden and in Cyprus – from our inspiration, and from suggestions from Citroën team members… We are open to all ideas!”

The choice of menu is decided by the two young chefs, Fabien Chevalier and Alain Rodon. With a professional diploma under their belt, they have worked for several big names in Lyons, such as “Villa Florentine” and the Hilton Hotel. But Bivouac offered them a taste of adventure they couldn’t refuse!

The menus offered to drivers during the race are more limited, with strict rules imposed by Paul Paoli and Frédéric Teste, the team osteopaths and nutritionists. “Paul takes account of mood, what people feel like

eating. His big thing is olive oil and Mediterranean cooking. Fred prefers pasta and banishes meat from the lunch menu.”

Reserved for the driving teams and the Citroën technical staff, the rear end of the motor-home is the domain of Wilfried Bonnet. Slim and smiling, invisible and yet always present, Wilfried comes and goes, serves and clears away, anticipating the needs of his guests who often eat distractedly, totally absorbed in discussing the race and its tactics.

The fifth element With a shaved head and bushy moustache, Jean-Claude, the fifth element, was a founder member of BTS, along with Gérald. He has twenty years’ experience in the catering trade. Accompanying the drivers on their reconnaissance trips, he is the first BTS team member in the field. It is his job to sort out the last technical details, to contact suppliers and select produce for purchase.

Another form of competition While the BTS rally brigade accompanied the Xsaras to Turkey, another team headed off to the season’s first F1 Grand Prix in Melbourne where they opened a “temporary restaurant” under the Michelin flag.

Soon after, Gérald and Jean-Claude were waiting at the port of Savone in Italy to greet the ship returning from Turkey, whose arrival was delayed. After picking up the equipment, they headed back to their base in Craponne, north-west of Lyons, for a thorough clean-up and repair operation ready for the upcoming Citroën test sessions.

How can good cooking, an essentially sedentary occupation, be reconciled with this perpetual race against the clock? What is the fuel which drives Bivouac Team Service? “We still believe in our initial idea” answer Gérald and Jean-Claude in unison. “To provide meals in the most unexpected places. It has been an exciting challenge for us to set up this original business enterprise. But now that we work with Citroën, we are dealing with people who are aiming for the top, and whose demands are equal to their ambitions. We have picked up the same virus and our goal is to offer the very best. We too are racing to win.”

In the wings : Hassle on the menu! The current trend in rally racing is to provide a single service park. This allows manufacturers to provide more practical, comfortable installations for the well-being of drivers and their teams. But the coin has a flip-side when the rally includes two parks. At the end of the first Monte-Carlo stage, the Tallard park was dismantled at a speed that even the circus profession would have admired. “It took two and half hours to pack up our equipment,” explains Gérald Schoppig.

“Then we were off to Monaco. At the city entrance, we were stuck in a traffic jam for another two and a half hours, with forty heavy trucks all trying to enter the Principality at the same time. When we reached our allocated spot, we had just enough time to set up shop for the next set of meals… In Sweden, on the Thursday, in temperatures of -25°C, the dishwasher froze up, though we had insulated the water intake pipes and heated the pump… In Turkey we had to find a solution for our waste water: we ended up using 200 litre drums… Every round has a surprise in store. It is our job to find a rapid response.”

Why there will never be a case of “Car 54 where are you?”From the moment they leave the service park, until their return, the cars are always present – virtually – on the screens in the technical section. A guided tour:

Modern rallying never lets the cars out of sight – a definite bonus for safety. The information received by the organizers and is made available to the teams, which helps them to follow the event. Two different sorts of information are gathered via two different means.

The tracking system uses the well-known capabilities of GPS (Global Positioning System). A digital map is shown on the screen. The route is shown, with the special stages in red, the liaison sections in black. The car’s GPS gives its position (in latitude and longitude) every five seconds. The calculator deduces its speed. The signal is sent by satellite to the ISCT truck (International Sportsworld Communication Technology), and then over the service park’s network to the technical services of each team.

On the screen, the cars are shown as circles, containing the race number. These circles can be in four different colours. Yellow means no signal is being received. Grey means the car has stopped, with the engine off. Blue means the car is stationary, but with the engine running. Green means all is well. By clicking on the circle, the driver’s name appears, along with the make of the car and its speed.

The splits, or intermediary times, are taken from beacons placed at regular intervals in the SS. They positions are made known to the teams. When the car passes a beacon, a connection is made. The beacon sends the information (car identification, time) via the relay plane to the race control. From there, the ISCT signals send the full information to the teams, as well as a simplified version to the wrc.com internet site.

On the screen, the time taken between the two beacons is shown. Compared to the reference driver (the blue line), the difference in terms of intermediary times to the other drivers is shown in rectangles – either green, if they are ahead, or red, for those who are behind.

Finally, it is obviously possible to show, side by side on the screen, the current stage classification and the overall positions

A rally with Olivier Ballot, IT operations technician"Put simply," says Olivier Ballot, Citroën Sport IT operations technician, "my job consists in setting up various networks: electricity, computers, telephone and radio. Power is usually supplied by the organisers, but I install two inverters that smooth out the current and protect our installations. When the technical tent – the real nerve centre – is powered, then installation work can continue. There are eight large crates of technical IT equipment and, if all goes well, it takes a very full day to set it all up.”

"Citroën Sport's central IT server remains in its flight crate near the desk that I occupy during the rally. From this server, I can wire up seventeen PCs around the large central table. Seventeen people also connect their notebook computers to recover or exchange data and figures.”

The second IT network server links to the ISCT (International Sportsworld Communication Technology). This network supplies tracking data to the screens around the table. It lets team members follow cars on the map, find out split times, times for specials, and rankings. ISCT also supplies a video signal that is sent to the motor-home and up to 15 plasma screens in the hospitality centres. Still on the subject of IT connections: "I set up a bridge with the local network so that everybody in the technical tent can hook up to the Web. The speed varies from one country to another.”

Telephone and fax lines are provided for the technical tent and each of the motor home’s sections also get a phone and a fax for PR, staff, communication and logistics.

As in the case of the electric networks and ISCT, the teams depend on external suppliers. Olivier liases between the team, who expect everything to work quickly and smoothly, and the local technicians, who are sometimes overwhelmed. Always ready with a smile, Olivier is also patient and persistent, in short, a born diplomat! As part of his job, he also manages the dozens of GSM telephones and satellite telephones, which means in countries outside Europe, local mobile phones often have to be sourced, such as Australia’s CDMA network.

On-the-spot troubleshooterThe last aspect of Olivier's work is radio communications. A crate is set aside for the transmitters and receivers, which all have to be programmed with the right frequencies for use in the technical tent or helicopter. The scanners are also tuned to the radio frequencies of the other teams: at the World Rally Championship, everybody knows everybody! During the rally, Olivier plays the role of on-the-spot troubleshooter, ready to take action if the slightest problem occurs.

"In Cyprus, the dust caused an inverter to explode, cutting off all the power in the tent. Also, radio communications is an area where we are rarely 100 per cent successful. We frequently lose the ISCT signal." The aim is to take corrective action as quickly as possible.

"The architecture of our installations is rock solid and we have a highly proactive field team. We have the resources to find a solution whatever happens."

Back at Team headquarters"Between November and January, we start by reviewing the past season," explains Olivier Ballot. "We start by listing everything that went wrong. Using the results of this review, along with the updates on requirements and techniques, we can design the architecture of our installations for the coming season."

The next step is to develop this architecture, along with the necessary controls, installations and tests.

"This year, the demands of the racing calendar required two separate kits: Europe and overseas. The movements of these kits are coordinated with the logistics department."

Just before leaving for Cyprus, which is still considered as being outside Europe, the team had to go through customs formalities and establish "proformas" for the hardware and electrics, i.e. the list of all items sent. This was an opportunity to run a complete check-up of all the equipment. For Olivier, post-rally activities include an in-depth examination of all installations. This operation includes listing breakages, placing new orders, organising supplier follow-up.

"We don't spend much time on development during the year, apart from adaptations designed to increase convenience for users. But we're always thinking about how we can upgrade the installations for the following year. That objective is the main thread running through what we do."

Widely appreciated for his kindness and skills, Olivier does nevertheless have a few enemies in life. One of them was the dust that swept through Limassol service park in clouds. It caused an inverter to fail and made it necessary to carry out extensive cleaning operations on all the appliances, which are particularly sensitive to this type of attack.

Damp is another enemy of IT technicians. When the water level rises to the extent that it runs over the plastic tiles placed on the floor in the 2003 rally of Catalunya 2003, it is essential to keep the installations dry. In this respect, the new assistance structure inaugurated in Cyprus – with a real floor in the technical tent – and this is a real advantage.

What Olivier fears most are the rallies such as Monte-Carlo and New Zealand that have several service parks. At Monte-Carlo, everything has to be disassembled at the end of the Tallard stage to be reassembled and ready to work early on Saturday morning in the port of Monaco. This means a sleepless and – above all – a highly stressful night for Olivier. The urgent and speedy disassembly and reassembly of such a complex installation increases the risk of malfunction.

The Torture chamber: Transmission Test BenchIn its never-ending quest for maximum reliability, Citroën has developed a test bench which can hold the complete transmission from a Xsara WRC car. This machine allows complete checks to take place, as well as running in, endurance tests etc. It is a mandatory phase for all parts of the transmission before they are used in the actual rally

Since the time of rally-raids, Citroën has built up solid experience of four wheel drive transmissions. The one used in the Xsara WRC is therefore an in-house design. The specialist company X-Trac builds and supplies the parts to the transmission lab in Versailles-Satory.

“Orders and deliveries are in the hands of our buyer, Laurent Prouteau, explained the boss of the “lab”, Gérard Civalleri. Every part that we receive is carefully checked. The controls taken allow us to check every piece with the most extreme precision.”

For the transmission men, preparations for a rally start when the operations technician, André Subirana, receives details on the configuration – gearbox, transmission, gear ratios – chosen by the engineers. André then plans the assembly of the necessary elements. A “transmission” assembly includes all the elements in the drive chain, from the clutch to the wheel half-shafts, and includes, among other parts, the small cylinders which control the gear shifts and active differentialsCitroën plans three full systems per Xsara and per ally. The first is mounted on the car. The second is used for spare parts, the replacement of which either as a preventative measure, or to solve a problem) is allowed during the event. The third could be used in case of any problems happening before the start of the rally, during the shakedown, for example…

The assembly of these transmission units is the work of seven mechanics, under the responsibility of Joël Demazure. Taking turns, five of them attend the rally, while the other two work on development testing. Whenever a Xsara WRC is running, a member of the transmission lab is automatically present.When a transmission assembly is ready, Jean-Marie Lavoisier, the development measures technician, puts it on the test bench for a full battery of tests. Once this had been completed, the component parts then go to be “finished”: cleaning, painting, placing the wires which will be used for the seals. The finished parts are gathered together on a trolley which includes a check sheet. When it is full, it heads off either for the Xsara that is being assembled, for the spares truck for that car, or towards the air-freight containers…

A "TORTURE" BENCH The test bench lies on a thick layer of steel, separated from a concrete base by anti-vibration studs. The “engine” is a powerful electric motor, able to produce torque of 120 kg/m, a value well above those of the WRC cars. A soft start allows the operator to make a “sensitive” test – via the manual lever – of the gear shifts.

Then the room is cleared, and the test bench runs the transmission for ten minutes at 8 000 revs per minute (above the maximum engine speed in race conditions) in each gear. To test the differential, the difference is measured between the torque received, and the way it splits this torque between the two half-shafts, as each wheel is progressively braked in turn.

The third passenger: The In-car camera. Even when the rally cars speed off into the distance in their race against the clock, we can keep track of what is actually happening during the specials. Because, thanks to the onboard camera, we are actually in the car.

Rallying is the most spectacular discipline in motor racing, but it is also the event that is most difficult to stage for an audience. Even though rallies take place in a highly concentrated geographical area, we cannot watch the entire stage as we would for a race track. Also, the teams do not compete head to head but via a stopwatch.

You have to know the times notched up by each driver to get an idea of where they are in the rankings. Spectators positioned along the route of a special take in the atmosphere of the rally and enjoy the excitement of seeing the cars go by, but their viewpoint of events is – by necessity – partial. Photographers capture one precise instant, while camera operators film a set sequence. These highlights of the rally can now be completed by footage from the in-car cameras.

The idea of installing the spectator in the car during the specials is nothing new. But owing to technical obstacles, it took a long time to actually put the idea into practice. The weight and bulk of the equipment was acceptable for shooting a cinema-style film, but could not be used in an actual race.

Helmut Deimel’s legendary film (“Die neue Dimension”, 1985) showed the German champion Walter Röhrl in action during the Lagoa Azul special (Rally of Portugal). His shots of the driver’s hands, helmet and – above all – his boots dancing on the pedals are famous. But only the images shot through the windscreen were actually taken during the special, thanks to the heavy in-car camera whose presence on board had been accepted by Röhrl. The other shots were filmed as part of a series of takes outside the race.

The miniaturisation of camera equipment made things easier. From 16 mm technology, we went to Betacam type cameras, which were still very heavy (between 15 and 20 kg). Then came the H18 format used by camcorders and last, four or five years ago, the advent of digital technology (DV Cam).

Today, a recorder weighs just 1.2 kg. Linked to two in-car cameras, similar in size to a tube of aspirin, the recorder films the images of either camera, depending on the orders given by a programmable sequencer. This unit can, for example, slot in a ten-second shot of the pilot’s helmet, before coming back to a view of the road through the windscreen.

The sequencer system is not the one used on World Rally Cars. The company ISC (International Sportsworld Communicators), which produces and broadcasts images of the world championship wanted to make sure of capturing everything on camera. In consequence, two recorders are mounted on a plate installed by the car manufacturer behind the crew. One of the recorders is dedicated to the camera filming the road, the other to the one trained on the driver or co-driver. The crew’s conversations are also recorded.

“The whole system weighs 3.5 kg,” explains Sylvain Rivier, head of Electricity-Systems at Citroën Sport. “It is installed by ISC technicians before the race and recovered by them afterwards. We simply make sure that the system is correctly installed and unlikely to cause us any problems.”

Car manufacturers are required to provide a 12V power supply for the recorders, which are powered and activated as soon as a driver turns on the turbo fresh-air system to switch to “special” mode. After the special, the driver turns off the fresh-air system, and hence the recorders’ power supply. Even so, the recorders remain active, powered by their own battery, just in case something interesting happens after the special. When the car returns to the service park, a technician changes the battery, removes the two cassettes and replaces them by blank ones.

The official cars entered by car manufacturers each supply two cassettes at the end of each loop. On the basis of three loops per stage, that means around 90 “in-car” cassettes every day. In addition to this abundance of images, we have the footage shot by the eight cameramen positioned along the specials, or on board a helicopter. This huge mass of film rushes is processed as and when it arrives by a team of five editors sitting at the five editing benches set up in ISC’s five metal-grey semi-trailers.

Last, four acquisition units for the in-car cameras are used to copy DV format to Beta and to select the highlights of the day. The channels under contract with ISC receive the RTB (ready-to-broadcast) film by satellite, in the form of a 26- minute presentation of the event plus a further 26 minutes on the evening of each stage. Also, two 5-minute bulletins (Access News) are sent out daily to television stations around the world.

Each station can select one minute from the film and broadcast it free of charge as part of the “right to information”. In the week after the race, ISC supplies a 52-minute summary. These programmes can be expanded or targeted by the channels, which may send out journalists or cameramen. It is not unusual, for example, for French channels to include subjects on Sébastien Loeb in the 26-minute film.

Car manufacturers are required to install a silver box with the required data connections. This unit is designed to collect the following information: presence of the car during the specials, vehicle speed, engine speed, gearbox speed engaged, action on brake pedal. Data are collected at the end of each special by a wireless link and transmitted by radio relay channel to the ISC lorries. They are displayed in overlay on the images from the in-car camera. A third ISC unit is present on board the car, for the GPS (Global Positioning System). This unit is designed to locate the car to the nearest metre (safety), to observe its progress (tracking) and to obtain intermediate time (split times). The GPS antenna is positioned on the roof of the car above the driver’s head, in a unit that can also house a camera.

Pace notes, corner by cornerThe footage taken by the Xsara WRC’s onboard cameras show a supremely unruffled co-driver turning the pages of a large exercise book and reading out the contents. This precious document contains the pace notes for the rally.

What exactly are these celebrated and indispensable notes? Who writes them? And what exactly do these - somewhat obscure - notes mean? We put these questions to, Marc Marti, second to Carlos Sainz, and -of course - Daniel Elena, tireless alter ego to Sébastien Loeb.

The delivery of pace notes to Carlos Sainz is slower than many other crews: “Izquierda bueno mas abrir, uno, Izquierda bueno mas se cierra un poco sasar por Derecha Ka corta en quarta se cierra poco abrir, uno, Derecha Derecha Ka lenta para Izquierda bueno mas corta abrir Izquierda bueno mas ojo se cierra sasar para Derecha bueno mas ojo para Izquierda abrir Izquierda Ka se cierra para...”.

Translated this means: Left OK plus opens - one (distance) - Left OK plus tightens, sacrifice for Right K (speed) short in four tightens a little opens - one - Right Right K slow for Left OK plus short opens Left good plus care, tightens to sacrifice for Right OK plus care for Left opens Left K tightens for...

Using his thumb and index finger, Marc makes sure that he turns only one page at a time.

Daniel Elena’s pace note Loeb’s Xsara go like this: “Gauche à fond et attention Gauche 135 frein pour Droite 100 plus, cinquante mètres, Droite 80 plus sur Gauche insignifiant et Gauche 120 moins long tard et Droite 120, cinquante mètres, attention Gauche 100 ‘plus’ long tard sur Droite 110 plus et Droite à fond sur attention quatre-vingt mètres Gauche 90 plus long et...”

Which, translated, means: Direct Left and care Left 135 brake for Right 100 plus, fifty metres. Right 80 plus on Left insignificant and Left 120 less long late and Right 120, fifty metres care Left 100 plus long late on Right 110 plus and Right direct on care Eighty meters Left 90 plus long and...

Pace notes express a personal view of the road and are therefore specific to each driver. Nevertheless, they all contain at least five types of information.

First, the direction of the corner turns (left or right). Second, the rating of the corner or curve in terms of radius.. Carlos writes the speed (K). Sébastien expresses the information in figures from 10 - hairpin with use of handbrake to - 20, 30, etc. up to 150 then “full tilt”) The notes “plus” and minus provide further information.

The third type of information concerns the route, and whether the corner “closes or “tightens”” (making it necessary to turn the wheel further) or “opens” (the wheel can be swung back quickly). Sébastien writes “tard” or “late”, a terms that comes from his gymnastics and means up late to the rope).

Carlos is meticulous (“se cierra”, tightens, “abrir”, opens, but also “sasar”, an abbreviation of “sacrifiar”, e.g. adopting a less favourable course (“sacrificing”) when coming out of a corner in order to be better placed for the following corner.

Fourth item: the distance between corners. Seb express it in metres, while Carlos codes it (uno = between 75 and 100 metres). When the corners are very close together, link words such as “on”, “and” and “for” are used, although they may not necessarily mean the same for every driver.

The fifth item, which makes only a brief appearance in our examples, concerns vertical rises: bumps, sky (summit, the sky beyond the bonnet), hollows and holes are all indicated.

The equipment

First, the note-book, a special model made in the UK. Slightly smaller than a page of A4 in format, it features strong paper of a high weight so that rubbing out information does not make holes. It has thick spirals and a back cover made of stiff cardboard to make it easy to write on. It can be taken apart by rotating the spirals. This makes it possible to extract pages to copy them, to replace worn pages, or to insert new ones (in cases where a special noted in previous years changes its route).

The co-driver writes his notes using a propelling pencil usually equipped with a thick B-quality lead pencil, diameter 9. The eraser that goes with it is a Staedler model for architects.

The first recce. Carlos and Sébastien, all focused on their task, dictate their view of the road and the way they feel it under their wheels, to their respective co-drivers. Marc and Daniel write down their remarks in accordance with a code whose aim is to condense the information while maintaining maximum precision. Legibility is also a necessity, since a racing WRC tends to shake around.

Second recce. The co-driver reads out the pace notes. The driver, still highly focused on the task, checks the accuracy of what he has dictated, making a slight change here or there. The co-driver, ever-attentive, crosses out the modified note and writes the new version alongside. In the evening at the hotel, he will go over each page, rub out any notes that have been crossed out and write up a “clean” version. Then comes the vital copying and binding stage. The note books are loaned to the gravel crews who make photocopies.

Like the rallies themselves, reconnaissance is strictly regulated and takes place under close supervision. Drivers use volume-production models, equipped with standard tyres without any decoration. Only the bucket seats, roll hoop, microphone/headphone sets, numbered sticker and magnetic GPS (global positioning satellite) antenna distinguish them from ordinary vehicles.

Reconnaissance follows a strict timetable. It takes place between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm on the Monday and Tuesday before the event, and between 8:00 am and midday on the Wednesday. Within these time slots and in the order specified, each team is able to cover each special twice at a maximum speed of 90 km/h. To ensure that these rules are respected, checks are conducted by stewards in the field and – on a continuous basis – by the GPS, which records position and speed. Every evening, FIA officials remove the satellite positioning unit and replace it by a blank unit. The officials can then analyse the data recorded by the box to check that the drivers respected the route (reversing is forbidden, as is covering a special from the finishing line back to the start) and speed limits.

Offenders leave themselves open to a wide range of penalties (from a reprimand to a time penalty, through to exclusion from the event).

The Xsara WRC and its eight antennasAlongside the voluminous air duct designed to take fresh air into the car, the roof of a Citroën is adorned with eight antennas of different sizes, shapes and colours. They are there for a good reason: communication.

Rallying is the most authentic and spectacular motor sport. But like ocean yacht racing, it has a feature that some see as a major drawback: the competitors disappear from view.

For carmakers, partners and organisers, it is essential to maintain public interest and enthusiasm by ensuring that every moment of the race is fully covered. Though the battle is fought on the open road, the challenge is to turn rally racing into a mass spectator sport. Much like the 60-foot yachts of the Vendée Globe Challenge, rally cars are now packed full of communication systems, visible only via their antennas. Let’ take a look at the different types of antenna, in their order of appearance on racing car roofs.

Car-team link: The first concern was to a maintain a link with the driver and co-driver. Radio was the only choice in the early days, when service vehicles were positioned before and after each special and the next contact was never very far away.

The use of radio-relay planes enabling radio waves to travel across hilly terrain was a decisive step forward. Today, all rallies are accompanied by a twin-engine aircraft flying in large circles above the racing circuit. For reasons of economy, it is shared by all teams, and carries the relay system used by each one. The radio frequencies are no secret and everyone listens to everyone else, especially when the co-driver announces his time at the end of the special.

On-board telephones were the next move forward. Unlike radio links, telephones guarantee confidentiality. For convenience and safety, the Xsara team uses a “hands-free” system, with a telephone link mounted inside their earphones – identical to the ones used in helicopters. The latest system uses two small antennas to transmit data on the Xsara engine and chassis to the laptop computer of the engineer who stands close to the car as it waits to enter the service park. In this way, the parameters recorded during the previous special or liaison stage can be analysed by the technical team even before the mechanics get to the car.

Car – race management link: This type of link, introduced more recently, was developed to take account of new rally rules and growing safety concerns. For example, it is used to check that drivers obey the rule prohibiting any servicing outside the parks. An on-board GPS system calculates the car’s position, while sensors emit a signal each time the car bonnet and/or tailgate are opened. This data is sent to the race management for real-time supervision of competitors. The car also transmits information via its Emergency box. The driver activates a button on the box to indicate whether the car is in a special (red light) or a liaison stage (green light). If the car stops during a special, to mend a puncture for example, the driver switches the light to green to say that “I’ve stopped but everything is OK”. The box also has an “SOS” button protected by a catch to stop it from being switched accidentally

Image production On-board cameras are used to bring spectators into the car, where they can experience the race “from the inside”. A more recent innovation enables spectators to follow every minute of the race on screen by means of images and data collected in and around the car (position, accelerations, engine speed, steering wheel angle, etc). It is based on the Virtual Spectator system used for the Americas Cup. This spectacular technology produces a virtual image of the car moving in a computer-generated décor. Film footage is used to obtain an exact reproduction of the real landscape and technical data is analysed to ensure that the car’s behaviour is entirely realistic. By “superimposing” different competitors, it is even possible to watch several cars moving along the same stretch of road, to compare their performance and understand why one or another gains precious seconds over his rival. Very impressive to watch!

The linchpin of rally racing: communication1. VHF (Very High Frequency) antenna. Enables the driving team to communicate by radio with the gravel car or with the team at the service park.

2. Telephone antenna: standard car equipment, but more powerful (8 watts). The gravel cars and the service park are also equipped with satellite phones, which are useful when the GSM network is overloaded.

3. WiFi LAN (Local Area Network) antennas. Very short-range transmission . Two antennas are used to transmit engine and chassis data to the engineer’s computer. Car – race management link.

4. “Global Positioning System” antenna. The Xsara and C5 are equipped as standard with GPS systems, now familiar to the general public. Signals are emitted by 24 satellites in orbit 20,000 km above the earth to give the exact vehicle position in terms of two simple figures: latitude and longitude. Using these figures, a car can be located on a map to within 5 metres.

5. UHF (Ultra High Frequency) antenna. It indicates the vehicle position, via the aeroplane, signals the opening of the bonnet and/or tailgate and transmits information from the emergency box.

6. ISC (International Sportsworld Communication) box. It contains a second GPS antenna and a camera that films the road at an angle similar to that of the driver’s eyes.

7.WiFi LAN antenna enabling ISC to recover data for the Virtual Spectator.

(ends)

For further information:Citroën Australia Media Web Site: http://media.ateco.com.au/ Miles Williams Tel: (02) 9701 8020General Manager Fax: (02) 9701 3555Citroën Australia Mob: 0419 800 520

E-Mail: [email protected]

Edward Rowe Tel: (02) 9701 8015Public Relations Manager Fax: (02) 9701 3555Citroën Australia Mob: 0407 913 244

E-Mail: [email protected]

Web site: www.citroen.com.au

Citroen AustraliaStreet Address: Heritage Building, Campus Business Park, 350 Parramatta Road, Homebush NSW 2140 Australia. Postal Address: Ateco Automotive Pty Ltd, Locked Bag 260, Silverwater, NSW 1811, AustraliaTelephone: 02 9701 8000; Direct Telephone 02 9701 8015 Fax: 02 9701 3555. Mobile +61 0407 913 244A.B.N. 34 000 486 706

EJR/ejr/4855/6/2023

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