Drivers / co-drivers: Sebastien Loeb and Daniel Elena (Citroen Total WRT),
Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila (Ford WRT), and
Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen (Citroen Total WRT).
Team principal: Yves Matton (Citroen Total WRT).
Rally de Espana: Press conference
Q:
Seb, how do you feel at the end of your full-time WRC career?
Sebastien Loeb:
I feel okay. It's the last rally of the season, I really wanted to win it – I won it eight times in a row. I didn't want to lose the last one! For sure, the situation is a bit strange to know that I won nine titles in a row and have now decided to retire. It's strange, but on the other side I know I still have some rallies next year and some more plans with
Citroen in some other discipline. I don't feel the career is finished and that I'm old and need to retire. But I feel I need this, to help me when I stop the rally career.
Q:
Will you come to Spain next year?
Sebastien Loeb:
It's not in the plan. If I said yes to every rally, then it's the full season again and this is not the plan. We start with Monte Carlo, Sweden…
Q:
Have you pushed at 100 per cent on this event?
Sebastien Loeb:
It was really a difficult one. Since they put the gravel in it's more difficult and this time with the weather, the first day was really tricky. I was happy to be second and still on the road on Friday. There were one hundred corners where you could go off the road. I was satisfied, but when we came to the tarmac, it wasn't easy. And then today we had some difficult tyre choices – it's been a very difficult rally.
Q:
Have you been able to enjoy this rally?
Sebastien Loeb:
Sure. There was no big pressure and finally at the end we are at the front, but only by seven seconds from Jari-Matti, who was pushing really hard all weekend.
Q:
What's your workload like before the end of the year? You're in Monte, so you have a test coming up but are you able to take a bit of a break?
Sebastien Loeb:
No.
Citroen wants to make me work until the end of the season. I do some tests on gravel, I'm not sure why... Until Christmas we have a lot to do.
Q:
Congratulations Daniel, what was this rally like for you?
Daniel Elena:
Sure, today there is a lot of emotion. It's the last time for driving and co-driving for the championship. Next year, it's more about enjoying the race, with no more pressure. But for the last race of the season, it's difficult with the road conditions and the choice of tyres.
Q:
Next year, what plans do you have?
Daniel Elena:
I have a big programme... I drive in two weeks in Rallye de Var - and after my company will continue to help Sebastien Chardonnet. But we also have some tests and rallies. And then I look to the
FIA to ask if they want help for the future.
Q:
Jari-Matti, your last event for Ford and Ford's last event, how do you feel?
Jari-Matti Latvala: