Citroën Racing has confirmed that it will race the C-Elysée when it make its début in the 2014 World Touring Car Championship, with Sébastien Loeb at the wheel.
The French manufacturer announced back in June that they would enter the WTCC in 2014 for the first time, with their choice of vehicle now having been made.
“Choosing the C-Elysée as the basis for our WTCC car reflects very clearly our determination to use racing as an active means of supporting our commercial development,” admitted Frédéric Banzet, the CEO of Citroën.
Citroën are targeting high-growth international markets such as Latin America, China, Russia and the Mediterranean region of eastern Europe and North Africa. Therefore the marque has opted to go with a car less common in its former core Western European markets.
“With rounds in Latin America, Morocco, China and Russia, the WTCC race calendar is genuinely global, and it will be a real advantage to run a C-Elysée, a key driver of our growth, in front of large crowds of enthusiastic motorsport fans,” added Banzet.
Citroën Racing Technical Director Xavier Mestelan-Pinon admitted that choosing a three-box saloon car was the ideal platform for the brand’s first foray into the world of circuit racing.
“From a strictly technical perspective, the choice of a three-box saloon body was ideal in terms of aerodynamics,” said Mestelan-Pinon. “Apart from this aspect, we were able to install the various components fairly easily. Insofar as this is our first track racing car, we constantly had to ask ourselves questions about the relevance of our choices, but that’s what makes this a particularly exciting challenge.”
The announcement also gives fans a first glimpse of what the new-for-2014 WTCC technical regulations are likely to look like, with cars sporting a much more aggressive look and bigger aerodynamic features.
Citroën have made no formal announcement regarding who will partner nine-time World Rally champion Loeb, with former works Chevrolet drivers Yvan Muller, Alain Menu and Rob Huff all having been courted by the French firm.
