Mehdi Bennani will continue with Sébastien Loeb Racing in the 2017 World Touring Car Championship, after the Moroccan put pen to paper on a new deal with the team.
Bennani will enter his ninth consecutive year in the WTCC, his eight full-season, and his third with the French team, in 2017.
The 33-year-old has consistently improved his performances over the past four years, culminating in two outright wins during the 2016 season on his way to fifth overall in the drivers’ championship.
“I am very pleased to continue this collaboration with Sébastien Loeb Racing,” said Bennani. “To me, stability is an important aspect to prioritise, especially considering how much we’ve learnt together these past two years. We all know how competitive the Citroën C-Elysée is and the team knows exactly how to make it perform to its best.”
Bennani admits that he is more confident than ever heading into the new season, with him now being one of the leading drivers at the wheel of a Citroën C-Elysée WTCC following the works withdrawal of the French manufacturer.
“I’m starting this new season with yet more confidence than the two previous ones. Of course, we’ll have to wait until the first race to have a true idea of the hierarchy, but I hope we’ll see in our results the improvements drawn from 2015 and 2016.
“Finally, I am overjoyed to welcome Afriquia as a new sponsor. It is particularly meaningful to me that they are a Moroccan company and I will do my utmost for our association to be rewarded with victory!”
Sébastien Loeb, the team’s co-founder, added that his team had no intentions of losing Bennani over the off-season.
“Mehdi has proven himself to be a key element for our team over these past two years,” said Loeb. “Keeping him with us was essential. He has integrated into the team perfectly, while at the same time gaining greater knowledge and control of his C-Elysée.
“He has the capacities needed to reach podium places even more often this season. We have prepared for this with two test drives in Navarra, as well as in Monteblanco, in Spain.
“I am delighted to conclude that with Mehdi, Tom Chilton and John Filippi our WTCC group is once again looking strong.”
The 2017 WTCC season kicks off in Marrakech, Morocco on the 7- 9 April 2017.