Q&A: Frequelin, Radstrom and Loeb.

Citroen Sport Team Principal Guy Frequelin and drivers, Thomas Radstrom and Sebastien Loeb talk about this weekend's Rally of Great Britain, their objectives and a lot, lot more...

Q:
Guy [Frequelin]. As a driver, you took part in what was then the RAC Rally. Does the event bring back pleasant memories?

Guy Frequelin:
Ha, ha! Yes, you could say that. I remember one particular SS in the fog, when I caught up with Hannu Mikkol and had 15 seconds on Ari Vatanen. The fog was so thick that it cancelled out the advantage of knowing the terrain. That said, the main thing back then was that without recces and without notes, you were almost playing Russian roulette at times...

Q:
What do you expect from this extra event that was not included in the original timetable?

GF:
I would like us to learn as much as possible. This rally is one of the rare events in which drivers use their headlamps. The night, the fog, the rain, the mud - and even the snow - all make up a unique cocktail. It's better to get a first taste of it this year, without the pressure. For that reason alone, our being here serves a useful purpose. The second advantage is that it's an opportunity to refresh our knowledge of the competition, which dates back to Germany or, you could say, even to Finland, since this is a gravel event. And that's no small matter!

Q:
You said that there is no pressure in this event, but you do have an objective?

GF:
For the drivers as for the team, it is important to clock up mileage in the driving conditions I mentioned earlier. And to make sure that the information collected is useful, the drivers have to keep up with the pace. I believe that our drivers have the ability to take these two factors into account, to place our cars in the race, and to take them to the finish.

Q:
Thomas [Radstrom], you have taken part in the RAC once before in 1999. Does it bring back good or bad memories?

Thomas Radstrom:
A bit of both really. It was disappointing because I holed my oil sump going over a stone and because of that unscheduled oil change, I reckon I lost out on fourth place. Even so, I'm pleased that I didn't drop out. We pasted up the leak, put in some more oil, and continued on our way. Some of the other cars dropped out and we ended up sixth. I was pleased for Gunnar Barth, a Swedish friend who was acting as my team-mate in the rally, since the organisation required Fred Gallagher elsewhere.

Q:
Do you have a good feel for this highly specific terrain?

TR:
Yes, not so bad! Citroen allowed me to take part in the recces last year and that helped me to get to know the terrain a bit better. Also, the tracks are a bit like those in Sweden, particularly if it's snowing. That said, there's little point in dreaming about snow, since the stages are close to the sea. But I enjoy the mud, the slipping and sliding. I felt at ease on the terrain during the tests in Dyfnant forest.

Q:
What's your objective?

TR:
I'd like to pick up some points, to be in the top six at the end of the rally. But I have to be realistic about this project: the last time I put a helmet on and watched the needles of the stopwatch was in Finland. Since then, I should think that my playmates have been practicing hard.

Q:
Sebastien [Loeb]. Could we say that you have the privilege of youth, since you're not a "veteran" of this rally?

Sebastien Loeb:
I took part for the first time in 2000 with a Saxo Challenge, and we finished second in the two-wheel drive category. It has to be said that quite a few drivers dropped out. But we won the match against our friends from the "Equipe de France". And, above all driving with two runs through the stages for the recces gave us an opportunity to judge just how much we'd learned through our work in the French gravel championship, where just one was allowed!

Q:
Last year, you were here to claim the "Super 1600" championship crown, but there was no pressure on you. You did what had to be done to clinch the title in Corsica, rather than playing it out here. Why was that?

SL:
Because anything can happen here. Already, the start of the race was very tight. Then came nightfall and with it the fog. I had to take risks. I went straight through a bend, fortunately without hitting anything. I had to reverse. I was expecting the worst. I thought Dalavilla's headlamps were about to appear in my rearview mirror. As it turned out, it was in these two foggy SS that we really pulled ahead. Our notes were good, with lots of information on distance and Daniel was great. There was a feeling of trust in the car.

Q:
This time you'll be driving a WRC. How high are your personal expectations?

SL:
I think we've prepared well for the event. I hope that this will be validated in the race and that we will find the car easy to drive and a strong performer. If this is the case, and as I know this rally fairly well when all's said and done, I'd be pleased to be close to the leaders or to pick up a few points.