Citroën Racing Team Principal Yves Matton insists that Sébastien Loeb wasn’t fired from the marque’s World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) team, despite the former rally champion expressing his surprise at being dropped from the team.
Loeb’s association with Citroën will come to an end after 15 years at the end of the year, with the Frenchman having not been offered a drive in the team for 2016.
The nine-time rally champion earlier expressed his shock at the decision, insisting that he felt he was on board with the manufacturer for a three-year assault on the WTCC.
Matton has denied the allegations, citing the fact that Loeb remains in the PSA Peugeot-Citroën group as evidence that the company are keen to keep him on their books.
“Intense media scrutiny and the search for sensational stories can sometimes overstate and distort reactions,” explained Matton. “Séb wasn’t ‘fired’, as has been suggested in some quarters.
“He is stiIl part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group and his new challenge with Peugeot Sport is not some sort of plan B, in view of his exceptional career.
“He chose to commit himself fully to the Rally Dakar adventure and we’ll be following his progress with great interest!
“There’s no denying that this undoubtedly marks the end of a great chapter in the history of Citroën Racing. Our sense of nostalgia will shortly give way to recollection of some great memories.
“On a personal level, I’m proud and happy to have worked alongside Seb at various stages of his career with Citroën.”