Citroen team boss Yves Matton admits the ace French squad is only human following its defeat to rival Ford on Wales Rally GB on Sunday.
Jari-Matti Latvala’s victory ended Citroen’s run of success in the FIA World Rally Championship dating back to Philips Rally Argentina at the end of April. Although team leader Sebastien Loeb claimed the runner-up spot in Wales, he did so by a scant 0.9s following a close fight with Petter Solberg, in the second works Ford.
“Yes, it’s normal [to be human],” said Matton. “We missed something in the [pre-event] test and the set-up was not so perfect or accurate this time. We were not aggressive enough during the weekend, approximately always taking [two spare tyres] when the other drivers went with one spare. Also the weather was mainly wet in the test, not really dry and on Rally GB it was mainly dry.
“We were not so far behind but as I say since a long time the level of Ford is very close to our level and when one is going not the perfect way for sure it makes some difference.”
Matton denied that Ford’s win in Great Britain would prompt changes to Citroen’s preparations for its home rally next month, where it can clinch both the WRC drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles.
“I hope we will have a big fight with Ford and I hope we will win,” said Matton. “We will do our normal job for France, this rally has no influence on what we will do. France is a Tarmac rally and here we are on gravel but for sure we will try to understand for next year when we come back to Rally GB.”