Gigi Galli will also compete in Norway and in the event before it, running in a Pirelli-backed
Citroen Xsara WRC car. The Italian is hoping to do around eight events in the WRC this season.
The
Suzuki World Rally Team meanwhile has confirmed that its new car, the SX4 WRC will make its debut in Finland. Suzuki also plans to do the events in Corsica and GB at the end of 2007, before stepping up to the ‘senior’ level proper in 2008.
News from the Manufacturers' teams:
Citroen Total WRT:
[
Sebastien Loeb, car #1 and
Daniel Sordo, car #2]
Citroen Sport team boss, Guy Frequelin has admitted that they are feeling somewhat anxious ahead of the new season, which will see the French marquee officially return to the sport with the all-new C4 WRC.
Speaking prior to Rallye Monte Carlo, Frequelin added that while testing has gone well, they are all eager now to see how they perform in comparison to their two main rivals,
BP Ford and
Subaru.
“Citroen Sport is in a similar frame of mind as it was before the start of the 2003 season,” he replied, when asked how they will approach the year. “After a year away, during which Citroen hasn't competed officially, it's like making a fresh start.
“We also have a new car, the C4 WRC. Furthermore despite all the hard work we have accomplished with the C4 WRC and although it has proved more competitive than the Xsara, we still lack experience with it. The members of the team feel a lot of pressure. They are vigilant and anxious, but also eager to see how it goes.”
Asked about the Rallye Monte Carlo itself - and if the changes to the route complicate matters, Frequelin added that, that will only become clear after the event. Although he did concede that it doesn’t particularly help them.
“We will only know afterwards whether the changes to the event were positive or not for us,” he continued. “The Monte is incontestably the toughest round of the year and also the event where the drivers cover the greatest distance on unsuited tyres.
