Citroen Racing takes the WTCC Championship title once again making it the third on the trot, as they leave to go back to WRC.

The day after securing its third consecutive FIA World Touring Car Championship title, Citroën shone in the races at the Shanghai circuit, with José María López, Yvan Muller and Mehdi Bennani giving the C-Elysée WTCC its first one-two-three finish of the season. 

Yvan Muller’s two podium places secured his position as second in the Drivers’ World Championship, now with a healthy lead over his rivals. Mehdi Bennani has sewn up the WTCC Trophy, the competition for independent drivers.

For the reverse-grid opening race at the Shanghai International Circuit, Yvan Muller and José María López started from eighth and tenth positions respectively.

SLR driver Tom Chilton got off to a flyer in his Citroën C-Elysée WTCC, moving into second place.

Back in the chasing pack, Yvan Muller and José María López were engaged in something of a free-for-all. The Citroën Total drivers ended the first lap in sixth and ninth respectively, with their cars already battered and bruised from their attacking rivals.

On lap two, Muller snatched fifth place, while Pechito found himself in a fight for seventh. The safety car made an appearance after John Filippi stopped, causing the cars to bunch up somewhat before the battles resumed for a further 11 laps.

Shortly afterwards there was a turning point as Gabriele Tarquini ran into Chilton. Both drivers were forced to withdraw from the race, enabling Muller to climb to third behind Norbert Michelisz and Thed Björk. José María López also moved up to fifth.

The crowd was exhilarated as the gaps between the top five closed up with three laps remaining.

The top two made contact on several occasions, with Björk eventually emerging victorious, ahead of Michelisz, Muller, López and Nick Catsburg.

After the podium ceremony, the mechanics had just a few minutes to repair the cars from the opening race. Their sterling work meant José María López and Yvan Muller were able to go into the main race with their cars in perfect condition.

Once again, the Citroën C-Elysée WTCCs started superbly. Pole sitter José María López was the first man to turn, followed by Yvan Muller and Mehdi Bennani. The leader wasted no time in opening up a gap between himself and his teammate. In a much less turbulent race than the first, Pechito never looked back, speeding to his eighth win of the season.

Yvan Muller, meanwhile, held off Mehdi Bennani to finish second. That rounded off an excellent weekend for Muller in which he scored 36 points compared to his nearest rival, competing for second place in the driver standings, who scored five points. 

Mehdi Bennani beamed from the third step of the podium, having achieved his primary goal of winning the WTCC Trophy for independent drivers. The Moroccan driver saw off the challenge of his teammate Tom Chilton with a meeting to spare.

WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY

Yves Matton, Citroën Racing Team Principal: “It’s been a hugely positive weekend for Citroën Racing. Yesterday, we achieved our main goal by winning the Manufacturers’ World Championship. Today, we converted our good qualifying performance into great results in the races, with our first treble of the season. China and Shanghai are obviously a happy hunting ground for us, as this is where we took the top four places in a race for the first time in 2014. Pechito didn’t have anything to think about today: points were irrelevant, and he didn’t have to worry about how his performance might affect the compensation weights. I think he produced a performance that confirms his status as the best driver in the WTCC at present. With twin podium places, Yvan has put himself clear of his rivals in second place. All that remains is to finish the job in Qatar. Congratulations, too, to Mehdi Bennani and the SLR team for their WTCC Trophy victory, as well as Volvo and Thed Björk for their first wins in the competition.”

José María López: “It has been a fantastic weekend for all of us. We were the fastest out there.

There was no pressure on me, as I knew I could get the better of Catsburg at the start of the main race. After that, I just tried to enjoy every lap in the Citroën C-Elysée WTCC. What a fantastic car! It’s not often you get the opportunity to go out and win like that, without having to worry about anything whatsoever. We are all incredibly lucky to be part of this amazing adventure and we will be looking to finish in style in Doha.”

Yvan Muller: “I didn’t win, but two podiums in a single day is pretty good going, particularly at my age! There were two important things this weekend. First of all, the manufacturers’ title for Citroën, which makes me particularly proud to be part of this team. Secondly, I was able to pull away from Tiago Monteiro in the championship by scoring a lot more points than he did. That is important in the fight for second place, which is the last goal remaining for us. We will be doing our best to wrap it up in Qatar.”

Mehdi Bennani: “It was a tough weekend to manage. To win the title, I had to score points in both races, making sure I didn’t crash off or get involved in any collisions. It was strange competing against Tom Chilton, as we are teammates, with the same car and often the same setup. He didn’t have any luck today and that’s what enabled me to win the title with a meeting to spare. Mission accomplished!”

* All results subject to official confirmation from the FIA

Citroen Claim more wins in the WTCC, with the provisional Championship title going to José María López again.

Yvan Muller and José María López finished first and second in the main race at Motegi (Japan) to claim the Citroën C-Elysée WTCC’s fifth one-two of the season. This means the Argentinian is provisional world champion for the third year running, whilst Citroën took another step closer to a sixteenth World Championship title.

In the opening race, Yvan Muller and José María López started from ninth and tenth on the grid. When the lights went out, the Citroën Total drivers moved up the field and into seventh and eighth places.

A few corners later, Muller also managed to take sixth place from Tom Chilton. It wasn’t long before López followed suit.

Muller then tried to find a way past Nick Catsburg. This gave López a chance to close in and overtake his team-mate after a minor coming together. Shortly afterwards, Catsburg’s determined defence was breached and the two team-mates set off in pursuit of Thed Bjork, who suffered the same fate.

Fourth and fifth respectively, López and Muller obtained the best possible result given their starting positions. They scored important points towards both the Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ World Championship standings.

After the damaged bodywork components were quickly replaced, the two works Citroën C-Elysée WTCCs lined up on the front row of the start grid for the main race.

López made a perfect start to enter the first corner ahead of Muller. Setting a blistering pace, the two drivers wasted little time in moving clear of the rest of the field, and were comfortable at the front as they headed towards a one-two finish.

With two laps to go, the no. 37 Citroën C-Elysée WTCC moved aside to let the no. 68 car past. Certain to win the title by finishing second, José María López handed victory to his team-mate.

For the first time this season, Yvan Muller therefore crossed the finish line as the race winner. This enabled him to draw level with Tiago Monteiro sitting in second place in the Drivers’ World Championship.

Second-placed López scored enough points to claim a third consecutive drivers’ title*, as he now has an unassailable 120-point lead.

In the manufacturers’ standings, Citroën has moved slightly closer to a sixteenth world title, having already won five Cross Country Rally World Cups, eight World Rally Championships and two World Touring Car Championships. The next round, held in Shanghai (24-25 September), should prove decisive.

WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY

Yves Matton, Citroën Racing Team Principal: “Everything worked well today, with a great fightback from our drivers in the opening reverse-grid race and a one-two finish in the main race. We achieved one of our goals this weekend with José María López, who provisionally retained his World Championship title. 

Although we still have a few races left to contest together, this is the beginning of the end of a great adventure that we started almost three years ago. In deciding to let Yvan win today, Pechito showed the team spirit that drives us all. We are now going to prepare for the next race, which should enable us to secure the manufacturers’ title. 

We’d also like to finish first and second in the drivers’ standings. Yvan drew level on points with Tiago Monteiro today, so he is ideally placed to finish as runner-up!”

José María López: “I must be one of the happiest men in the world tonight! When you watch motorsport on television, maybe you think that drivers are cold and aloof, but I can assure you that I’m feeling very emotional right now. I’ve had three fantastic seasons with Citroën Racing and I think a lot of drivers would love to be in my shoes. 

Competing in the WTCC has been a great opportunity for me in my career, but I am most indebted to the team. As regards my gesture for Yvan, it was a way of showing the respect that I have for him. I took the decision on my own, but it wasn’t easy to give up a victory. 

It’s always difficult to win races and I said to myself that it would be hard not to hear the Argentinian national anthem on the podium, especially on the day I win the title. 

But I thought that I might not have too many other opportunities to do it. I’ll keep fighting in the last few races – apart from anything else, we still have work to do to win the manufacturers’ title.”

Yvan Muller: “First of all, I would like to congratulate Pechito on this third title. He deserves it because he is currently the best driver in the category. In addition to being a great driver, he’s also a great man. 

Obviously, I hadn’t asked him to let me past, because that’s not how I like to win races. But he did what I have done in the past, most recently in Argentina when I decided to help him. 

There is genuine mutual respect, built on our shared determination to ensure Citroën wins. Now that I am level on points with Tiago, I’m going to try and finish as runner-up in the championship.”

Citroen fail to take any wins at the Moscow Raceway last weekend, leaving the home brand, LADA, to take both wins.

Yvan Muller’s car was the best performing Citroën C-Elysée, finishing third in the opening race at the rain-affected FIA WTCC races at Moscow Raceway.  Despite a winless weekend, Citroën and José María López have extended their respective leads in the Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ World Championships.

The skies looked threatening, but the Moscow Raceway track was totally dry when the cars lined up on the starting grid for the opening race. During the warm-up lap, there was a downpour over the circuit, forcing the race officials to delay the start. All the drivers switched to wet tyres, while the engineers tinkered with their cars’ setups.

When the lights went out, Tiago Monteiro took the lead, ahead of Yvan Muller, who got a good start from the second row. Mehdi Bennani and José María López also found a way through the pack.

After a few turns, Muller was in front. Monteiro was unable to hold off Bennani and López, and the three Citroën C-Elysée WTCCs found themselves out in front.

That situation was not to last. Gabriele Tarquini snatched third place, clipping López’s car in the process. Nick Catsburg soon followed suit, while Tarquini passed Bennani and was gaining ground on Muller.

After five laps, Tarquini took the lead and Muller soon found himself under pressure from Catsburg. Struggling with the conditions, Bennani lost ground, enabling Pechito López to climb back into fourth.

A little after the halfway mark, Catsburg moved into second after passing Muller. López also conceded fourth spot to Valente.

The Citroën Total drivers then held firm until the chequered flag to secure their places. Muller’s podium finish was the best result possible in the circumstances.

During the short break before the main race, the Russian track was once again soaked by a shower, making wet tyres essential.

Once again, the Citroën C-Elysée WTCCs started strongly. Muller and López went into the first bend in sixth and seventh. Very quickly, however, they lost ground on their competitors as they were plagued by a total lack of grip. After three laps, López, Bennani and Muller lay in seventh, eighth and tenth respectively.

As the race went on, the track dried out, though it was still not possible to change to slicks. The Citroën C-Elysée WTCCs therefore focused on not making any mistakes to ensure they secured the best results possible.

López eventually took the points for eighth place. Bennani finished tenth, ahead of Muller, who ended up just out of the points.

Despite a disappointing weekend, Citroën maintains a healthy 172-point lead in the World Championship. In the driver standings, López has extended his advantage, now lying 105 points clear of Bennani and Catsburg. Muller is in fifth place, just nine points adrift of the two second-placed drivers. The point’s tallies have been revised after Honda’s exclusion from the Marrakech meeting was confirmed.

WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY

Yves Matton (Team Principal, Citroën Racing): “It is hard to find positives in such a difficult weekend. The drivers gave their all in trying circumstances and Yvan must be congratulated on his podium finish. It is tough to pinpoint any one reason for our lack of success: the 80kg ballast, the weather conditions, the tyres, the circuit itself. It’s probably down to a combination of all of those things, and we are going to have to work to understand what went wrong. Well done to the Lada team for their two one-two finishes, in any case. We know how it feels to achieve such results, particularly on home soil!”

José María López: “These two races were really tough. The grip deteriorated lap after lap and I wasn’t able to hold our rivals at bay. These things happen. We just need to understand why. At the same time, it has not been a bad weekend, as I have widened the gap at the top of the World Championship!

I can’t wait to get to Vila Real. It’s a circuit I’m very fond of and I hope to repeat last year’s victory there.”

Yvan Muller: “Congratulations to the winners. They deserve this result. I got a good start in the opening race, which allowed me to take the lead for the first time this season. I quickly realised I wasn’t going to be able to hold off Gabriele and Nick. I am happy to be on the podium. It’s not the kind of result you dream about, but I’ll take it, given the circumstances. We are going to work hard to draw the necessary conclusions. We cannot put our lack of success down to a single factor.”

Citroen continues to dominate the WTCC with a pair of wins at the iconic Nurburgring Nordschleife.

José María López proved unstoppable at the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife by securing a double victory at the FIA WTCC Race of Germany. The dual success puts the Argentine driver well clear at the top of the World Championship standings, while Citroën has also extended its lead in the Manufacturers’ title chase.

Held as a curtain-raiser for the 24 Hours Nürburgring, the two FIA WTCC races were contested under blue skies, just hours before a hailstorm swept across the Eifel mountains.

Yvan Muller and José María López were placed eighth and ninth on the starting grid for the opening race. 

The Citroën Total drivers charged through the pack to nestle in behind Tiago Monteiro, Mehdi Bennani and Thed Björk. Bennani lost ground from the first lap and was overtaken. Björk was then forced to withdraw, but not before sending oil splattering onto the windscreen of Muller’s C-Elysée.

Entering the third and final lap, the top three were Monteiro, Muller and López, with all three drivers waiting for the last long straight in the hope of slipstreaming. When Tiago Monteiro crashed out, chaos ensued. 

Unable to take evasive action in time, Muller ran into him. Pechito narrowly dodged the two stranded leaders and became the first man across the finish line, ahead of Tom Chilton, who had a solid race at the wheel of his SLR team Citroën C-Elysée WTCC.

As the cars did not return to the pit lane between the two races, the mechanics could not even try to repair Muller’s car in time for the main race. José María López started from pole, ahead of Norbert Michelisz, Tom Chilton and Rob Huff.

When the red lights went out, Norbert Michelisz got the best start and moved past Pechito. Even before they reached the Nordschleife, López had reclaimed the lead and quickly opened up a gap between himself and Michelisz. Chilton and Huff completed the leading group.

Throughout the three laps, López held onto his lead while taking care not to wear out his tyres. He finished ahead of Michelisz and Chilton, who heroically held Huff at bay.

For the second time in his FIA WTCC career, José María López scored the maximum 55 points. That means López now has a 69-point lead over Tiago Monteiro in the World Championship. Yvan Muller lies in sixth place, behind Huff, Michelisz and Bennani. Citroën also continues to lead the Manufacturers’ standings.

Now halfway through the season after the German meeting, the World Championship will continue at Russia’s Moscow Raceway on 11 and 12 June.

WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY

Yves Matton (Team Principal, Citroën Racing): 

“We are frustrated that Yvan had to pull out. He had been having an excellent weekend until then, showing significant improvement since last year. 

But for the umpteenth time this season, luck was not on his side, and circumstances beyond his control prevented him from picking up a good result. We sincerely hope that things will go in his favour over the next few races. 

Pechito showed great skill in taking advantage of events to win the first race, before controlling the second despite a tricky start. With pole position, a new WTCC track record and two race wins, he has had an exceptional weekend, scoring maximum points. 

It was also a good weekend for Citroën, thanks to the points earned by Pechito and Tom Chilton. After taking a few races to get used to the Citroën C-Elysée WTCC, Tom has had a great weekend and was up there with the leaders from the first free practice session. Things have clicked for him and that’s a good sign for the rest of the season.”

José María López: 

“It’s really special to win both races on this track. I did it in 2014 at Termas de Río Hondo, but I didn’t dare dream of it here, especially with 80kg of ballast. 

I didn’t really savour the first race, as it wasn’t a victory I went out and earned. I couldn’t get the better of Yvan on the straight, as he was in Tiago’s slipstream. I saw Tiago hit the safety barrier. It was quite a shock and I only had a fraction of a second to react. 

I’m glad that Tiago and Yvan came out of it unhurt. In the main race, I got a good start, but Norbi’s was even better. I was surprised to find him in front of me. I managed to get back in front and from then on I tried to keep up a good pace while looking after my car and my tyres. 

At the halfway point of the season, the 55 points I’ve scored this weekend have given me a huge boost in the overall standings. It means the others will have to take risks to come back at me.”

Yvan Muller: 

“The opening race was going pretty well. The first lap was difficult, though, as Björk’s car was losing oil, which stained my windscreen. When he pulled out, I moved up into second place, which was already good going considering I started from eighth. 

I knew that if I stayed on Tiago Monteiro’s tail, I could use his slipstream to overtake him on the long final straight. Unfortunately, he got a flat when taking a bend at nearly 250km/h. His car hit the safety barrier and bounced back onto the middle of the track. 

I braked and locked my wheels as quickly as I could, but I couldn’t avoid hitting him. I was afraid another driver might then run into me, but fortunately everything turned out OK and we emerged unscathed.”

Citroen returns to the Nurburgring for a pair of WTCC races this weekend, the best track in the world.

For the fifth round of the FIA World Touring Car Championship, José María López and Yvan Muller are heading for the legendary Nürburgring. Having won there in 2015, the Citroën Total drivers will be looking to repeat their triumphant exploits on the Nordschleife this time around.

Ever since it first appeared on the FIA WTCC calendar, the Nürburgring has been the most prestigious meeting of the season. The 25.378 km course with 64 turns, combining the Grand Prix circuit and the Nordschleife, has attracted plenty of superlatives. 

Pictures are from previous races at the Nurburgring.

A lap can be completed in just under nine minutes, with a 68% full throttle ratio and 79 gear changes. The top speed of over 260 km/h is the fastest of the season, and the average speed recorded by Pechito Lopez in qualifying last year – 176.6 km/h – was also a record for the discipline.

“For what it’s worth, the long straight at the Nürburgring is the same length as the entire Marrakech circuit we raced on two weeks ago,” explains Yvan Muller. “Generally, people say you need to have done a hundred laps to really get to know the Nordschleife. 

And I’m not convinced you can ever really fully get to grips with such a circuit! You need to strike the right balance between risk-taking and the time you can gain. In particular, you need to focus on the big curves leading into the long straights. If you take your foot off the gas slightly when you should be going at full tilt, you can lose entire seconds!”

“This circuit is fantastic. For me, it’s the most important race of the year along with my home meeting in Argentina,” says José María López. 

“I haven’t had a lot of experience with rally cars, but I think the sensations are pretty similar. You’re thrown about from one side to the other, your car jumps up and down… and yet this is a track. It is nicknamed “the Green Hell” for a reason! 

Each lap lasts over eight minutes, and you can’t relax at any stage. Personally, my favourite part is the final section. In the last few kilometres, there’s quite a fluid sequence of turns and you know whether you’re having a good lap or not. 

During testing, the final straight was where you could relax a little more. That certainly won’t be the case in the races, because slipstreaming will offer huge overtaking opportunities.”

Last year, Pechito was the driver to make the biggest impact. Having secured pole position in 8m37.327s, the man at the wheel of Citroën C-Elysée WTCC n°37 won the first race before finishing second in race two, just inches behind his teammate Yvan Muller.

“That win surprised me, as I didn’t really feel that I had found my feet on the circuit,” Yvan Muller admits. “My experience grew as the laps progressed, and driving on the Nordschleife is now a pleasure. 

I came back a few weeks ago for a day, which enabled me to get back in the groove. That’s important, because the way you drive is really what makes the biggest difference here.”

“It’s a bit like a street circuit: you gradually build your confidence,” agrees José María López. “I’ve done a lot of work on the Citroën Racing simulator, with a full day during which I completed thirty or so laps. 

We had a good setup last year, but the engineers have kept on working to try to improve it. Once again, we will be carrying the maximum ballast of 80kg. As there are not many very slow turns here, that weight will penalise us less than elsewhere, but we will still have to contend with inertia on the big bends.”

Citroën goes into the fifth round of the season leading the Manufacturers’ World Championship, 39 points clear of the second-placed team. José María López also leads the drivers’ standings, with a 14-point advantage, while Yvan Muller lies in sixth position.

Due to the exceptional nature of the circuit, the meeting will take a rather different format to usual.

The three free practice sessions will each be extended to one hour, with no refuelling. The three-stage qualifying system will be replaced by a single one-hour qualifying session, with bonus points awarded to the top five.

The two races, taking place on Saturday morning (28 May), are curtain-raisers for the 24 Hours Nürburgring and will each last three laps.

Lopez takes the win in round two of the WTCC at Paul Ricard with Muller relegated down the field.

In the opening meeting of the 2016 FIA World Touring Car Championship, the Citroën Total team has proved it remains the team to beat. Despite the 80kg of ballast the Citroën C-Elysée WTCCs were required to carry, José María López won the main race and left the Paul Ricard circuit at the top of the World Championship standings.

There may have been grey clouds building up ominously in the Provence skies, but the weather was dry when the cars came out for the opening race on Sunday. The reverse starting grid meant Yvan Muller and José María López were placed eighth and tenth respectively.

Having decided to preserve their Citroën C-Elysée WTCCs for the main race, the Citroën Total drivers stayed out of the rough and tumble of the first lap, which they completed in eighth and 11th place. But Yvan was soon handed a ‘drive through’ for a false start. Once he had served that penalty, the man from Alsace re-joined the race at the back of the pack.

Having overtaken Tarquini, José María López found himself in ninth. He them climbed three places in the space of just a few hundred metres, taking advantage of the confusion caused by Ekblom’s spinning off to get the better of first Coronel and then Catsburg.

Now in sixth place, the Argentine gained ground on Hugo Valente in the last few laps, but couldn’t find a way past without risking a collision. Thanks to Mehdi Bennani, who produced a remarkable performance to finish second in his Sébastien Loeb Racing Citroën C-Elysée WTCC, Citroën was able to notch up some invaluable points in the Manufacturers’ World Championship.

In the late afternoon came the main race, the finale of the weekend’s action. The official Citroën C-Elysée WTCCs got off to a perfect start, with José María López coming out of the first turn in first place and Yvan Muller in second. The Argentine then put his foot down to extend his lead slightly.

Yvan, however, couldn’t shake off Tiago Monteiro. He kept him at bay for seven laps, before being pushed off the track by his rival at the Virage du Pont turn. Norbert Michelisz took advantage to move past, relegating Muller to fourth.

The closing laps saw Tiago Monteiro put pressure on José María López. But despite tyres that were on their last legs – one of the many consequences of carrying 80kg of ballast – the reigning World Champion held firm until the chequered flag to secure his twenty-second FIA WTCC race win.

The result sees José María López take an early lead in the World Championship standings, four points ahead of Monteiro. In the manufacturers’ standings, meanwhile, Citroën had a successful time, given its unfavourable setup, with the team just one point behind the leader.

The next round takes place in two weeks at the Slovakia Ring (15-17 April).

WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY

Yves Matton (Team Principal, Citroën Racing): “Despite a setup designed to penalise the reigning World Championship team, we have proved that the Citroën C-Elysée WTCC remains the best car in the competition. I don’t attribute a lot of importance to the result of the opening race, which is far too artificial to reflect the real pecking order. But the performance of Pechito Lopez in the main race is reward for the efforts put in by the whole team over the winter. It’s hugely satisfying to be on top of the Drivers’ World Championship and with a bit more luck we could also have led the manufacturers’ standings. It’s going to be a tough weekend in Slovakia, but after that we should be back competing on equal terms with our rivals.”

José María López (Citroën C-Elysée WTCC No. 37): “I took a few risks at the start of the main race and I was happy to find myself out in front, ahead of Yvan. The weight difference with the other cars was just too big, and that’s what allowed Tiago to go past Yvan and gain ground on me. The last few laps were intense. My tyres were about as worn as they can get, and it wasn’t easy to stay in front. I managed to go through Signes quickly, which earned me a bit of breathing space. Once again, a massive ‘well done’ to Citroën! We knew it was going to be difficult, but we leave here with our heads held high and leading the World Championship.”

Yvan Muller (Citroën C-Elysée WTCC No. 68): “Once again, my season didn’t get off to the greatest start despite a promising performance in qualifying. In Race 1, I made a mistake at the start and the penalty was justified. That put me out of the running for the points. In the main race, I got away really well, but I just couldn’t hold off the Hondas, which were 80kg lighter. Tiago Monteiro tried a bold move and ran into me, which cost me two places. It’s a shame, and obviously I’m disappointed to finish only fourth.”