Citroen team principal, Olivier Quesnel has said it will be important to re-focus 'immediately' now in order to maximise their chances of doing a championship double.

Sebastien Loeb clinched his fifth world title on Sunday in Japan, but with Dani Sordo failing to score in the sister C4 WRC due to a turbo problem on day one, Ford closed up in the manufacturers'.

Indeed Citroen's advantage was cut back from 23 points to just eleven and with December's season ending Wales Rally GB still to come, the battle is by no means over.

Speaking following the 14th and penultimate round in the World Rally Championship, Quesnel noted that while its was great for 'his' man to take another drivers' title, they are only 50 per cent there in terms of the goals set pre-season.

"It's very, very satisfying," said Quesnel. "The fact that Sébastien and Daniel [Elena] have sewn up the Drivers' title means we have now achieved half the target we set ourselves before the start of the season.

"We will take time to celebrate today's result with all the Citroën Sport staff back at our base in Satory.

"But we will then immediately re-focus with a view to wrapping up the Manufacturers' crown in Wales where the skill of our crews and the motivation of everyone in the team promise to be valuable allies."

Loeb meanwhile is also looking to Rally GB and while he would dearly love to win in Wales - something he has never done before, he will be aware of how much Citroen wants to wrestle back the manufacturers' crown it last won in 2005.

"I expected to be champion here and to be released and more relaxed for Wales. We have the Manufacturer pressure now though," added the Frenchman.

"We will see [what happens in GB]. For sure I would like to win this rally one day but it's tricky and the conditions are always tough."