WRC: Ostberg to stay with Citroen in 2015
Citroen Racing has announced that Mads Ostberg will remain with the team for the 2015 World Rally Championship season.
The announcement confirms an unchanged full-season line-up for Citroen, with Ostberg and Jonas Andersson retaining their drive in a works DS 3 WRC alongside Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle. However, with Sebastian Loeb and Daniel Elena also competing at the season-opening Rallye Monte Carlo, Ostberg and Andersson will not be eligible to score points in the Manufacturers' championship until Rally Sweden.
With Ostberg and Meeke racking up eight podium finishes between them in 2014, Ostberg - who finished third in Wales Rally GB last month - said his target is to fight for victories on a regular basis next season.
"I'm very happy to be able to keep working with the Citro?n Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team," Ostberg said. "I have really enjoyed the last few months. I have learned a lot just by being in contact with this fantastic team and I feel that I'm a better driver. With the DS 3 WRC, I had to adjust my driving style. The work I put in has enabled me to discover new techniques, and they have helped me get to grips with certain surfaces and conditions more easily.
"I'll be using this experience to go even further in 2015. I'm really looking forward to seeing the upgrades that have been made on the DS 3 WRC. Thanks to the work done last year and the developments we're testing and confirming this winter, I want to be able to fight to win rallies as often as possible."
Yves Matton, Citroen Racing Team Principal, said he expects Ostberg to build on the success of 2014 after feeling the Norwegian was unfortunate at times last season.
"At 27 years old, Mads Ostberg is now one of the most experienced drivers in the World Rally Championship," Matton said. "His first season in the DS 3 WRC allowed us to assess his potential. Mads produced some strong performances, despite being rather unlucky at times during the year.
"Having scored 108 points, his fifth place in the Drivers' championship reflects his investment. He'll be able to build on his first season in the DS 3 WRC and will be beginning 2015 already perfectly familiar with the team and the car... Like with Kris Meeke, the aim will be to reap the rewards of the work we have put in."
