What memories do you have of Rally Australia?
“In 2006, the rally was still based in Perth and I claimed my first WRC win after a great battle with Petter Solberg. The 2009 rally was the first time it was held on the East coast. This time, I was embroiled in a scrap with Sébastien Loeb, who won the race before then being penalised. That meant I had claimed a fourth win in a row and took the lead in the Drivers’ World Championship standings at that stage. However, after Rally Wales GB, Seb ended up beating me by one point… Two years ago, both Citroëns went off at the start of the race. I was leading at the end of day one, but then lost time due to sweeping the loose gravel, which allowed my team-mate to take over as leader the next day. In the end, though, I won the rally.”
What do you think about the course for this event?
“We don’t know these roads very well, as we have only raced on them once before in 2011, when the roads were also particularly wet. Generally, the road surface is in very good condition, and the stages are held on fast-flowing roads. They aren’t difficult to get to grips with, but you need plenty of ‘guts’ in certain sections in order not to lose speed. It’s also nice not to have rocks along the sides of the road. In short, you could say it’s like a flat version of Rally Finland!”
Does the third place you secured in Germany mean your run of bad luck is over?
“I certainly hope so! It was a very special moment for every member of Citroën Racing, but we put it behind us quickly in order to focus on the upcoming events. The fact is that we have drastically cut our rival’s lead in the Manufacturers’ Championship. The title is still very much up for grabs, but we need to produce perfect performances at each rally to have a chance. We are competing against two very strong teams who will also be very quick in Australia. We have to keep believing. We can do it, if we all work together!”