Citroën Racing Team Principal Yves Matton says that he is wary of the marques rivals, who “seem to be improving fast” as the World Touring Car Championship heads to Hungary next weekend.
Citroën have thus far dominated the start of the season, winning all four races and setting new records in the WTCC. Matton admits that the early success enjoyed by the manufacturer is more than they could have hoped for.
“This is our first opportunity to take stock of where we are. Having finished first, second and third in one race, and first and second in the other three, the results we have achieved on paper have surpassed our expectations,” admitted Matton. “I have to say that the team has adapted very quickly to this new discipline, even when there have been unexpected changes in the weather or the race situation.”
Matton adds that with José María López, Sébastien Loeb and Yvan Muller all having won races there has been no loss of camaraderie within the team.
“The other thing that has been very pleasing is that our three drivers have regularly won races,” said Matton. “None of them has really got the upper hand over his teammates. That sense of team spirit and togetherness remains intact.”
Despite López setting a new record in France, being the only driver in WTCC history to come from the back of the grid to win, Citroën’s margin over the competition was smaller at the second round. Matton is aware that the competition will catch up quick, especially at circuits where they have the advantage of experience.
“We are now focusing on the challenges ahead: we’ll be racing on circuits that we don’t know as well as our rivals do, and those rivals seem to be improving fast,” added Matton.
As in previous years, the WTCC cars will be in action on the streets of Budapest on Thursday 1 May for a promotional event. The tour will take in both banks of the River Danube and pass in front of the Hungarian parliament building.