by Rob WilkinsCitroen Sport's number two driver, Daniel Sordo has said that work with the new Citroen C4 WRC car is going very well - and that it is a very quick car.
Speaking to
Crash.net Radio recently when asked about the new car and 2007 in general, the Spaniard predicted though that the Rallye Monte Carlo, the opening round in the 2007 FIA World Rally Championship, which runs from January 19-21, will be a tough test for him.
"It will different [next season]," he stated. "We will be with the official Citroen team next year and with the new car. The new car is fast, but the first rally is Monte Carlo and in 2007, Monte will be new for everybody [due to the new route]. I think there will be a lot of snow and ice and it will be tough, but I will try hard. It will be difficult but it should be a good year.
"Testing is going well [with the C4], but it is young. Normally it is fast, very fast. It is different to drive compared to the Xsara. The Xsara is small and the C4 is more like the Ford, it is big. But at the moment it is very quick. There will be some more tests with the C4 [over the next few weeks] - and sometimes with the Xsara too. Normally though I will work for next year with the new car. I will be working a lot with the C4 for Monte Carlo and Sweden over Christmas, but that is a nice Christmas!"
As for 2006, Dani was pleased with his year overall, even though the second half of the season didn't quite go to plan. In the end he finished fifth in the drivers' championship, scored 49 points in total and notched up four podiums, a remarkable effort, especially as it was his first year in a World Rally Car.
"I think it has been good, because the first rallies I drove last year with the C2 - and the other rallies were on tarmac and also I drove with on them with the C2 in '05. I knew the stages. It is very important to drive through the tests, because it is really, really fast with a World Rally Car - and with that experience I remembered some parts of the stage," he replied. "I set some very good times and had some very good results on tarmac - and also on gravel too on some events.
"But after the summer it was different. All the rallies were new, like New Zealand and Australia. That was really difficult the first time as they are fast. Overall though, I am very happy."
As for working with current WRC hot-shot Sebastien Loeb and Xavier Pons, Dani added that he enjoyed a good relationship with both: "Sometimes it has been better with just Xavier, as he is not as fast as Sebastien! Sebastien is winning all the time and is really, really fast. His experience is very important. But is it difficult all the time - being second, second, second to him. But I learned a lot with Seb, because he has a lot of experience and is a very good guy.
"But with Xavier it was also good. He is my friend and a good driver as well. This year was about learning though and next year we will try to work very well for the team. Then we will see. We will try to help Citroen Sport in 2007," he concluded.
