Citroen dominate FIA Prize-Giving Ceremony at Doha, Qatar.

• Held this year in Doha, Qatar, the FIA Prize-Giving Ceremony saw awards presented to the winners of its various Championships
• José María López, Yvan Muller and Sébastien Loeb monopolised the FIA WTCC driver standings, whilst Citroën won the Manufacturers’ Championship
• The Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team finished second in the Manufacturers’ World Rally Championship

A glittering occasion to mark the end of the season, the FIA Prize-Giving Ceremony was this year preceded by a challenge involving drivers and leading figures from the FIA. José María López produced an impressive performance to finish third in the karting race, behind Esteban Ocon – European F3 Champion – and Daniel Ricciardo.

On the Friday evening ‘Pechito’ attended the ceremony with his team-mates Yvan Muller and Sébastien Loeb, the top three in the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) driver standings. Yves Matton, Citroën Racing Team Principal, also collected the Manufacturers’ title, after the team secured a mighty 17 wins from 23 races.

In rallying, the eight podium finishes claimed by Kris Meeke and Mads Østberg enabled the Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team to take second place in the Manufacturers’ World Championship. Meanwhile, Stéphane Lefebvre, Alastair Fisher and Martin Koci made up the podium of the FIA Junior WRC and the WRC-3 championship. 

The young Frenchman will compete in the WRC-2 next year in a DS 3 R5.

Citroën Racing’s competitive record in international motorsport was completed by Petter Solberg, World Rallycross Champion in his DS 3 Supercar. After winning the WRC in 2003, the Norwegian therefore became the first ever driver to win FIA world titles in two different categories.

Yves Matton, Citroën Racing Team Principal, commented: “This evening, alongside leading figures from throughout international motor sport, we can reflect on what an intense year we have just experienced. These trophies reward the work of the drivers and everyone in the Citroën Racing team, who have competed in two World Championships, and taken part in some 25 events in every corner of the planet. In 2015, we’ll be defending our FIA WTCC titles with Pechito, Yvan and Seb, and we will continue to remain involved in the WRC. 

For their second season with the DS 3, Kris and Mads can aim higher still and we will try to help them onto the podium of the Drivers’ World Championship. We will also be thinking about the future in continuing to support the development of Stéphane Lefebvre.”