Ian,

Bear in mind that Citroen have had much experience and success with rallycross beasts... so I wouldn't write off their chances on the rough stuff quite as readily. I suspect that they will contest these events when they feel they are ready to be competitive.

 

Moray,

I'm certainly not writing them off, in fact, if anything, I think they will do very well.

But, we all know, that until they start proving themselves on the forest stages, they will not be taken seriously.

But we all know the same thing happened with the Pug 206. Everyone thought, nah, they wouldn't last in the forest after doing well on the tarmac. But then we all know how wrong all the pundits were

I say, good luck to them, even if they are French

Cheers

Ian

 

But the difference is that the 206 was 4wd whereas I'm pretty sure the Citroens are 2wd.

So they WON'T stand a chance off tarmac.

 

....and he's kickin' ***!

The WRC regulars today will shake in their boots. SS1 of Rally Catalunya has won by - Citreon! As feared, it's damned fast straight out of its box (even though alot of competitio and development has happened inthat box).

This car has yet to be beaten in competition at any level. How do Citreon do it, especially when you remember how awful some of their previous cars have been! WHo can forget (although who could blame you if you had!) the BX4T?

Oh well, at least they are only contesting four rounds this year!

Geezer

 

Geezer,

Yeah, but that car is built only for those tarmac events. It wouldn't last 2 minutes in Wales etc. (I hope).

Didn't the same car do the same thing last year though ? I'm sure it did.

Cheers

Ian

 

I'm with Ian on this one as I seem to recall coverage of the xara rally car kicking big but on the tarmac stages, due to it's rather nice power to weight ratio advantage over the 'big' boys. Did tend to loose out a bit on the gravel stages.

Think evo had an article on this as well.

 

No, last years car was the Xsara kit car, FWD, 2 litre normally aspirated.

This is the Xsara T4 WRC, 4WD, turbo charged, the lot! Jean Pierre Nicolas (head of the Peugeot team) seems to think it will be a good gravel car as well. Watch out next year.

Geezer

 

Geezer,

Yeah, you are right. I actually read about the car in Motoring News (or Motorsport News as they have renamed it) this week, but didn't click before I posted

We shall see, we all know the true measure of a WRC car is how far it makes it through 'proper' rallies.

Cheers

Ian

 

Bugalski and Puras normally drive F2 Maxi's on this event and are tarmac experts. They win/breakdown/crash.

Being local lads, their new WRC cars will have had a LOT of testing on the stages.

 

Oh and Solberg is out having fallen off the road and Burnsy has box problems.

Keep an eye on Martin though. A very fast young man.

 

The citroens are badged as WRC, but are they full WRC spec, Ie turbo restrictors etc.

Im sure the difference is the drivers in this case tho.

robski

 

From World Rally news pages... Just like the French in Remo :ROLLEYES:


Jesus Puras will be allowed to start the Catalunya Rally after the event stewards decided to take no action over allegations that the Spaniard had carried out illegal recceing for his home event.

However, three privateer crews caught practising stages prior to the official recce have been thrown out of the rally, which starts on Friday from Lloret de Mar.

Puras, who is one of two asphalt specialists giving Citroen’s new WRC car its debut on the world stage, was the subject of widespread allegations that he had conducted illegal recceing prior to the event. He admitted being found on a ‘new’ stage with pre-prepared pace notes, but insisted they had been produced based on prior knowledge of the road used.

The FIA is clamping down on illegal recceing and on Wednesday recommended to national sporting authorities that drivers and co-drivers caught in the act should be given a minimum one-year licence suspension. Puras was found with the pre-prepared notes in a spot check during the official recce.

After lengthy deliberations on the eve of the rally’s start (Thursday), the stewards decided there was no case to answer and that no action should be taken.

Puras joins Frenchman Philippe Bugalski in a two-car attack by Citroen with its potent four-wheel drive Xsara T4. The duo are tipped as contenders for outright victory after the French marque dominated a number of warm-up events with the machine.

Copyright

 

McRae is out, engine failure. Boy does that guy have some bad luck. It might be because he drives the cars harder, but they shouldn't fail with that regularity!

Burns chances are gone after a gearbox problem and breaking a rim, so as usual this year, all UK interest has disappeared before the end of the first day!

Geezer

 

Looks like Citroen have got the new car sorted: Puras and Bugalski currently lying 1st and 2nd. Good marketing ploy by Citroen: build a great asphalt car and employ 2 tarmac experts to drive the things on 3 select WRC events in 2001, rather than develop an all rounder, contest all 14 rounds, and finish nowhere. Couple of results in 2001 should keep the board happy and the money flowing for next year. Lets face it, the headline "Citroen beats Mitsubishi, Peugeot, Subaru and Ford in World Rally" reads better than "Citroen finishes 5th in World Champonship Standings". Not that the latter would make a headline.

Off to watch Eurosport now to see if Colin once again gives his Ford (Fixed On Roads Daily) a good kicking.

Edited due to carp spelling.



[This message has been edited by Olly (edited 23 March 2001).]