Citroen continues to dominate the WTCC with a brace of 1-2 finishes at the weekend in Vila Real.

The European leg of the FIA WTCC season ended in triumph for the Citroën Total team, which scored two one-two finishes in the streets of Vila Real. In race one, José María López and Sébastien Loeb built on their qualifying form to take an uncontested one-two finish. Marked by a multitude of incidents, race two brought a smile to Ma Qing Hua. 

The Chinese driver won his second ever race in the FIA WTCC ahead of Yvan Muller. The four Citroën drivers retain the top four places in the World Championship: José María López (322 pts) ahead of Yvan Muller (267), Sébastien Loeb (230) and Ma Qing Hua (146).

Race one got underway just before lunchtime on Sunday, as the temperature began to rise in the streets of Vila Real. For José María López and Sébastien Loeb, the big unknown was the grip level of the starting grid, which isn’t part of the circuit’s racing line.

When the lights went out, Pechito managed to get the best start ahead of Loeb, and the two Citroën C-Elysée WTCCs pulled away from the rest of the field. Third on the grid, Valente blew his start and squeezed Yvan Muller, who was trying to get by on the inside. Ma Qing Hua took advantage to overtake Van Lagen and Castburg and close up on Valente, who then made contact with the Chinese driver. Valente dropped out a few minutes later and Ma Qing Hua was up to sixth place behind López, Loeb, Michelisz, Tarquini and Monteiro. Yvan Muller followed in seventh place.

With every lap, the gap between the leading drivers rose steadily. While Ma Qing Hua narrowed his deficit to Tiago Montiero late in the race, the positions stood all the way to the chequered flag. In triumphing for the sixth time of the season, José María López also scored maximum points, while Sébastien Loeb secured yet another one-two finish for the Citroën Total team.

Following a long break, the cars were back on the starting grid late in the afternoon. This time, Ma Qing Hua and Yvan Muller shared row one. Thanks to two perfect starts, the teammates led the way, while contact eliminated Van Lagen and Monteiro. The safety car was called into action to allow marshals to clear away the damaged cars.

When the race resumed, Qing Hua held on to the lead in front of Muller, Catsburg, Tarquini, Michelisz, Loeb and López. While the two leading Citroëns pulled away, the chasing group was tightly bunched due to the absence of overtaking opportunities on the Vila Real circuit.

On lap 10, Catsburg made a mistake, allowing Michelisz then Loeb to close the distance. But the three cars made contact under braking and Seb’s race ended prematurely in the tyre barrier. The race continued without the nine-time World Rally Champion, who also lost valuable points along the way.

Two laps later, Catsburg had a big shunt. His car was stopped on the racing line and the marshals made the wise decision to bring out the red flag. This didn’t alter the joy of Ma Qing Hua, who scored his first win in the FIA WTCC since Moscow 2014, with Yvan Muller finishing second. Championship leader José María López picked up valuable points with his fifth place result in race two.

WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY

Yves Matton Team Principal Citroën Racing: “We end this first long portion of the season with everything looking strong; 14 victories in 16 races, our four drivers leading the World Championship and a nice lead for Citroën in the manufacturers’ standings. We are delighted with the performance of Ma Qing Hua, who solidified this increase in performance with a win. Our four drivers have all won this season, and we can head to the Asian swing with confidence.”

José María López: “While it may have looked easy from the outside, stringing together 13 laps on this circuit is a proper challenge. It was a real mystery for the start; we didn’t know how the car would react on this piece of the circuit. In the end, everything went well and I was able to keep my advantage over Seb. 

I had good pace and managed to pull away rather quickly. Then, I had to cope with the heat and look after my Citroën C-Elysée WTCC. I could feel the car suffering on the bumps and curbs. I had to stay focused all the way to the end. I am very happy to have won on such a demanding circuit. Race two was chaotic, but I managed to avoid the incidents to move from 10^th to 5^th place. With a 55-point lead with four meetings remaining, I am in an ideal situation.”

Sébastien Loeb: “Pechito and I both got a good start in race one. It was a bit intense at the first chicane, because we made the same the mistake in exiting a little wide. Then, I tried to stay close, but it was hard due to the slipstream that created a little more under-steer for me. The gaps grew because Pechito was a little quicker. 

For my part, I tried to maintain a sufficient gap to Michelisz. I got a good start in race two, by avoiding the accident in front of me. Then, a pack of cars formed and I couldn’t try very much. In a corner, I saw that Catsburg was nearly completely stopped. He got going, but Michelisz was in the midst of passing him on the inside. I came up on them way too fast and I couldn’t brake to stay behind them. I was trail braking and then I was hit on the right-rear; the car began to slide and came to rest in the tyres. The result isn’t very good for the championship. I was faster than Yvan, but the pure performance wasn’t rewarded.”

Ma Qing Hua: “I want to especially thank my team of engineers and mechanics. In betting on the reverse grid in qualifying, the objective was clearly to win race two. Everything strung together nicely, with a perfect start and very good race pace. I was focused on not creating a possibility for Yvan to catch up to me. Even though the race ended with the red flag, it was a huge moment when I realised I had won. And it was an even bigger moment when I heard the Chinese national anthem on the podium. I am proud for my country and for Citroën, and I think that this new victory will be beneficial in the development of motor racing in China."

Yvan Muller: “After a difficult time in qualifying, I couldn’t have hoped for much better this weekend. I am all the same satisfied to be on the podium. Ma Qing Hua was very fast in the race and he totally deserves his win. I tried to attack to threaten him, but it was to no avail. Even though the World Championship situation isn’t going my way, I haven’t given up and I will attack the second half of the season with the firm intention to catch up to Pechito.”

Citroen continues to dominate the WTCC with a 1-2-3 in both races at the Slovakia Ring.

The Citroën Total team monopolised the podium in both of yesterday’s FIA WTCC races at the Slovakia Ring. In race one, the top three finished in exactly the same order as in qualifying, with Yvan Muller getting the upper hand over José María López and Sébastien Loeb. After a blistering start, Loeb emerged triumphant in race two, ahead of López and Muller. 

At the season’s halfway mark, José María López is still the World Championship leader. Meanwhile, Citroën has slightly extended its lead in the Manufacturers’ standings.

The sun was shining bright and the stands were packed as three Citroën C-Elysée WTCCs lined up at the front of the grid for race one. 

When the lights went out, Yvan Muller made the most of his pole position, reaching the first turn ahead of the rest, with Sébastien Loeb and José María López neck-and-neck behind him, the Argentinian driver just about able to hold off the man from Alsace. 

Having qualified in seventh place, Ma Qing Hua found himself at the back of the pack after getting stranded on the grid. 

The Chinese driver immediately set about working his way back up the field, but ultimately withdrew from the race so that his mechanics could locate the cause of his problem before race two.

Out front, Yvan Muller pulled away from his teammates slightly. Throughout the eleven laps, Sébastien Loeb remained just a few metres behind José María López, without ever finding an opportunity to overtake. 

So the three Citroën C-Elysée WTCCs crossed the finished line in the same order in which they started, with Muller recording his fourth win of the season.

A few minutes later, race two began. Despite the team’s best efforts, Ma Qing Hua again suffered a clutch problem and was forced to resign himself to leaving Slovakia empty-handed.

Sébastien Loeb shot out of the blocks like a cannonball, climbing from eighth to second by the first turn. The nine-time World Rally Champion was closely pursued by José María López, and the two Citroën drivers were quickly joined by teammate Yvan Muller, who had found his way past Hugo Valente.

Loeb slipped past Tarquini at the start of the second lap. One lap later, López and Muller did likewise, meaning there were once again three Citroën’s out in the lead. José María López had to use all his racing acumen to hold off persistent pressure from Yvan Muller in a tussle that was spectacular and sporting in equal measure. 

But there would be no more changes in the race order before the chequered flag. This time, car number 9 took the honours, sharing the podium with numbers 37 and 68.

Sébastien Loeb scored his fourth FIA WTCC victory, after wins at Termas de Río Hondo this year and Marrakech and the Slovakia Ring in 2014.

The first half of the season ends with José María López at the top of the standings, 30 points clear of Yvan Muller and 61 points ahead of Sébastien Loeb. Ma Qing Hua drops to seventh in the championship. 

After achieving maximum points this weekend, Citroën’s tally now stands at 529, 163 more than the second-placed team.

WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY

Carlos Tavares, CEO, PSA Peugeot Citroën: “Following an impressive performance in qualifying, these two trebles top off what has been a very exciting weekend. Congratulations to the drivers, who have made sure that all the unstinting efforts of the management, engineers and mechanics have borne fruit. Citroën Racing has once again shown its combative qualities and its strong team spirit. 

The team is an example for the whole PSA group, showing us what we have to do each day: push ourselves to the limit to achieve things we have never done before. We have to do that every day, working together and trusting each other.”

Yvan Muller: “I am obviously really happy with my results in the two races. In race one, getting a good start meant I was virtually assured of victory. 

I attacked from the very start to make sure the guys behind me couldn’t get in my slipstream. I was able to manage the wear to my tyres, but I still had to stay focused, as Pechito and Seb weren’t too far behind. In race two, we all got good starts and we climbed several positions in the first few metres. 

After a few turns, there was only Gabriele Tarquini in front of us. Seb did brilliantly to take the lead… and we followed him!”

Sébastien Loeb: “I’m thrilled to be back on the top step of the podium. The last time was in Argentina, which is a few months ago now! In race one, I tried to force Pechito into an error, but the opportunity to overtake him never presented itself. In the second race, the start was key. I took the right options and immediately found myself battling it out with Gabriele Tarquini. 

He put up a good fight, but I eventually found a way past. I tried to open up a bit of a gap while the others were still behind him. My Citroën C-Elysée WTCC handled fantastically today!”

José María López: “Congratulations to my teammates on their wins! I’m satisfied with my two podium places. It means I have only lost a few points off my championship lead. 

I know that it’s going to be a tough fight right down to the wire, but it’s a real positive to be top of the table at the halfway point of the season, and still with a decent lead. We are all pushing ourselves to our limits. We never stop working and improving. It’s extremely motivating to be part of a team like that.”

Ma Qing Hua: “I’m obviously disappointed to be leaving Slovakia without a point to my name, especially since I had hoped for good results after qualifying. But I had clutch problems at the start of both races. Fortunately, I won’t have to wait long before the next race!”

NEXT STOP: PAUL RICARD

The FIA WTCC teams will have no time to rest, with the next round taking place at the Paul Ricard circuit next weekend. 

The team’s trucks will head straight to Provence as soon as the Citroën C-Elysée WTCCs have been serviced. The first free practice session will take place on Friday at 12 noon. Two further sessions are scheduled for Saturday at 9:00 and 11:30, with qualifying getting under way at 15:00. The two races will be held at 12:45 and 14:00 on Sunday.

Needless to say, the Citroën Total team will be wanting to shine on home soil. Last year, Yvan Muller and Sébastien Loeb pulled off a one-two finish in the first race, while in race two, José-María López achieved the impressive feat of moving through the field from last place to first, with Yvan Muller joining him on the podium.

Citroen continues to dominate in race one in Russia, with the C-Elysee taking a one-two finish.

Yvan Muller and José María López followed up their strong qualifying performance with another one-two for Citroën Total at the Moscow Raceway. The Citroën C-Elysée WTCCs couldn't make it onto the podium in race two, with Ma Qing Hua, Yvan Muller and Sébastien Loeb taking fifth, sixth and seventh place.  Despite failing to score in the second race, José María López is still leading the World Championship, ahead of Yvan Muller and Sébastien Loeb, while Citroën continues to top the Manufacturers standings. The sun managed to break through the cloud cover to raise the temperature for race day at the Moscow Raceway. With FIA President Jean Todt looking on, Yvan Muller and José María López lined up on the first row of the grid for race one. Yvan Muller got off to a flying start, beating his teammate to the first corner. With Gabriele Tarquini and Rob Huff just behind them, the leading pack consisted of four FIA WTCC World Champions.  Ma Qing Hua also got away well, immediately sneaking past Tom Chilton into fifth. Having started from the sixth row, Sébastien Loeb faced a much harder task. The nine-time World Rally Champion climbed to eighth place early on, but was overtaken by Tiago Monteiro on lap three. There were to be no further changes to the race order before the finish, with Yvan Muller claiming his third win of the season, to go with his victories in Marrakech and at the Nürburgring. The second race got under way shortly afterwards. This time, Ma Qing Hua was the best-placed Citroën driver, in fifth position on the grid. José María López, Yvan Muller and Sébastien Loeb began from ninth, tenth and eleventh respectively. After making a good start, Ma Qing Hua found himself pushed off the track on the outside thanks to a tumultuous pack at the first bend. The Chinese driver ended lap one in fifth position, behind Monteiro, Michelisz, Catsburg and Valente. He was followed by Huff, Tarquini, Loeb, Chilton, Muller and López.  The man from Argentina knew that his race had been compromised by his false start, and sure enough, the World Champion was soon handed a drive-through penalty. As Monteiro pulled away on a victory charge, there were battles going on everywhere in his wake. Ma Qing Hua got the better of his tussle with Sébastien Loeb, reclaiming fifth spot with his teammates hot on his heels. Yvan Muller then found a way past Seb, giving the three Citroën C-Elysée WTCCs fifth, sixth and seventh place and earning the team valuable points in the Driver and Manufacturer standings. WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY Yves Matton, Team Principal, Citroën Racing: “This weekend in Moscow has been a great sporting spectacle, with performance levels much closer than we have seen previously. When we get to the next few circuits and the compensation weights are adjusted, we will see whether this was a one-off or a lasting trend.  Yvan Muller had a terrific weekend, moving up into second spot in the World Championship and closing the gap on Pechito López. It looks like we could have some interesting meetings coming up, especially when you factor in Sébastien Loeb, who will be looking to come back hard, and Ma Qing Hua, who is getting better all the time.” Yvan Muller: “It’s always easier to win when you've got the best car, and this weekend the Citroën C-Elysée WTCC was once again the best car out there.  I started well in race one and from there I was able to take control. I attacked hard over the first two or three laps, then took care not to wear out my tyres. I held Pechito at bay until the finish. In race two, I got away badly, unlike Seb. Sixth place is probably the best I could have hoped for. The way the points have gone has worked out well for me. It’s a long season and I still believe.” José María López: “Just like in qualifying, Yvan was the quickest driver today. I took a gamble on an aerodynamic setup without much downforce, but I still wasn't able to put him under pressure. Gabriele wasn't far behind me and I couldn't relax at any stage. In race two, I messed up at the start and my car moved.  I braked, the lights went out and I fell back a few places before being handed a drive-through. Normally, I’m quite hard on myself when I make mistakes, but on this occasion I think I just have to put it behind me. I've had the perfect season so far, and I'll still leave Russia as the World Championship leader.” Ma Qing Hua: “I’m happy with my two fifth places. It gives me some points and keeps me in touch with Tiago Monteiro in the World Championship standings. Race two was exciting.  I got away well and found myself in the leading pack, but I got pushed off the track. I was able to come back, but there must have been dirt in my wheels and the handling became a bit erratic. The car got better again as the laps went on and I was able to climb back up to fifth. It was too late to do any better, but I'm happy with that.” Sébastien Loeb: “I made a mess of qualifying, so I couldn’t expect too much after starting both races from eleventh position. I could have done better in race two if I had got past Ma. I hit him and pushed him out to the side… but I didn't want to overtake a teammate like that, so I deliberately stayed behind him.  When I saw how some of the other drivers knocked into me afterwards, it occurred to me that perhaps I had been a little too nice. I enjoyed driving out there today, though it wasn't always easy to control the car, especially on the fast bends, as our setups are designed to help us in the more winding sections.”

Citroen continues to dominate in the World Touring car Championships at the Hungaroring track, Hungary.

Shortly before the cars lined up on the grid, a few drops of rain fell, leaving the Hungaroring track damp. All the drivers opted to keep their slicks on, and their decision was vindicated as the races were ultimately contested in dry conditions.

José María López got off to a flying start from the second row. He first got the better of Hugo Valente, before taking the first bend at a rapid pace to move past Yvan Muller and into the lead. Behind them, Sébastien Loeb and Ma Qing Hua collided, allowing Valente to climb back up to third. With his bumper damaged and his aerodynamics adversely affected, Sébastien Loeb found himself in sixth, behind Ma Qing Hua and Tiago Monteiro.

After a few laps, the gap between Pechito López and Yvan Muller had widened considerably and the Argentine driver was able to power towards his third race win of the season. On a circuit known to be short on overtaking opportunities, there were no further changes to the race order before the finish, with Ma Qing Hua and Sébastien Loeb taking fourth and sixth place respectively.

The best-placed Citroën driver on the grid for race two was Ma Qing Hua. Of all the C-Elysées, however, it was Sébastien Loeb who got away the best when the lights went out. The first bend saw Rob Huff go into a spin, causing Muller and Qing Hua to collide. López, who was not ideally placed on the outside, was able to take advantage to get back on Loeb’s tail.

The order of the drivers at the end of lap one was exactly the same at the finish: Michelisz, Coronel, Chilton, Monteiro, Loeb, López, Muller, Valente and Qing Hua. For the first time this season there were no Citroën drivers on the podium, but the team’s points tally for the weekend nevertheless stands them in excellent stead in both the Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ standings.

WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY

Yves Matton (Team Principal, Citroën Racing): “We knew that this would be a difficult weekend, with a weight penalty of 60kg on the most winding circuit of the season. Despite that, we have come out of the meeting with one pole position and one one-two finish. This first European meeting of the year has confirmed the popularity of FIA WTCC in Central Europe. We are satisfied with our weekend, but our thoughts are already turning to the next round at the Nürburgring. It promises to be one of the highlights of the World Championship.” 

José María López: “I think my start to race one was the best I’ve ever made in the WTCC. I’m really happy with this win, particularly after qualifying, which didn’t go brilliantly. Points-wise, this meeting has allowed me to extend my lead over Seb slightly, so it’s all positive.”

Yvan Muller: “I would have preferred to win, but I didn’t get as good a start as Pechito. I was out of the running after the first bend. I fought hard for the first three or four laps, then held back a little to avoid taking any pointless risks. Second is better than third.”

Sébastien Loeb: “I got away well in race one, before making a mistake in my procedure. At the end of the straight, Ma moved over in front of me and we hit each other. My ‘splitter’ was damaged and I wasn’t able to overtake. My second start was much better, but I spent the whole race behind Tiago Monteiro. He didn’t slip up once.”

Ma Qing Hua: “At the start of race one, I tried to come around on the outside, but Sébastien ran into me and that cost me a few places. I then had to battle with a car that was hard to drive. In the second race, I went for the inside option. This time, Yvan hit me from behind, when Huff span off. The car’s setup was totally off and I consider myself lucky to have finished in the top 10.”

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.”