After some positive practice sessions in Spain, the first round of the World Touring Car Championship is now awaiting the Sébastien Loeb Racing at the Autodromo Termas de Rio Hondo, Argentina. The Alsace-based team’s new programme will begin there, with a Citroën C-Elysée handed over to Mehdi Bennani. Between discovery and ambition, both the team and its Moroccan driver share one objective : to have a full week-end and to make a successful debut in the discipline. A competitive pack consisting essentially of specialists will stand as a significant challenge, but Sébastien Loeb and Dominique Heintz’s squad is not afraid to take it up.
Mehdi Bennani : “To have no regrets !”
Après Following on many successes in the Porsche Carrera Cup, in GT and in Endurance, the Sébastien Loeb Racing now gets to grips with Touring. Though the team from Soultz-Sous-Forêts has already been in touch with the requirements of some international series, it will be its first participation in a World Championship ! Alongside the official team, Citroën Racing, and facing Honda, Lada as well as private teams specialised in the discipline, tough competition is to expect.
Determined and committed to take advantage of all the various programmes that today make the team stronger, the Sébastien Loeb Racing will try to shine for its first go in WTCC. In order to do so, it will count on a World Champion car – the Citroën C-Elysée – and an experienced driver – Mehdi Bennani.
“It’s my fourth year in WTCC, therefore I have some experience of that discipline” explains Mehdi. “That will be of great help in the global approach of this first round, including mentally. It takes time to gain experience and I am obviously better prepared than the previous years. We’d always like to have more practice sessions. It will be our first race with the Sébastien Loeb Racing, therefore there’ll be a lot to learn ; not only in relation to the car but also in terms of working methods. I very much like the team’s mindset and I fully trust them. If we manage to gather everything needed, I have no doubt that it will lead to a good outcome. But we’ll have to progress throughout the week-end, that will be one of the key elements.”
In 2014 the Moroccan driver posted the 8th time of the qualifying sessions. He then distinguished himself during the second race, occupying the second place for several laps. “That track is much more difficult than it seems” says Mehdi. “You cannot make a mistake there, and you’re constantly struggling with the little grip. It’s difficult to find the limit of adhesion. I’m confident I can perform well with the Citroën C-Elysée, but I am also aware of the various parameters still to be discovered. And I’ll be racing against contenders who already have that knowledge and experience. The aim is to give it our best shot and not have a single regret. I’m not thinking of a specific place. I just want everybody to give their 150% to be satisfied. That way we will make progress.”
Sébastien Loeb : “This round is doubly important...”
Anyway, Argentina will stand as the beginning of a new chapter for the Sébastien Loeb Racing. Sébastien Loeb, who will be there both as the Director of his own team and a driver for Citroën Racing, is also very much looking forward to that opening round. “It will be doubly important” he says. “Personally, it is my second season in WTCC and I am ambitious after a year of discovering the discipline. However for the team it’s a new story. Though the squad is still relatively young, we have already tackled many challenges, but this one is very specific. It’s an international competition : we are going to face the best touring cars, with some great manufacturers and some competitive private teams. The aim is to be strong and in good shape right from the first races as well as to show our competitiveness with Mehdi, however we have to keep in mind that Argentina is a real first. We must proceed step by step, with no short cuts. Let’s focus on our work. If the team does what it knows how to do, we will be heading towards the right direction.”
Five Citroën C-Elysée will compete in WTCC this season. On top of the one entered by the Sébastien Loeb Racing with Mehdi Bennani at the wheel, another one driven by Ma Qing Hua will benefit from the Alsace-based team’s operational support but will be entered by Citroën Racing.