Citroën Racing Team Principal Yves Matton is expecting the World Touring Car Championship races at the Slovakiaring to be “very competitive” as a result of both the overtaking opportunities offered by the circuit and the recent compensation weight changes.
The French manufacturer raced with 60 kg more weight than their rivals for the first time at the Hungaroring, which also saw the first non-Citroën win of the season in race two. Whilst that result may be at least partially attributable to the difficult of overtakin at the Hungarian circuit, it is also a sign that the extra weight on board the C-Elysées is holding back their surge through the grid.
Matton expects that with the faster, more flowing Slovakiaring offering more overtaking chances, the races near Bratislava will be very competitive. Matton also cites the improvement of the team’s rivals as helping to close the gaps within the field.
“There will certainly be more overtaking opportunities than at the Hungaroring,” said Matton. “We think the races at the Slovakia Ring will be very competitive, for several reasons. Having begun the development of their 2014 models later than we did, our rivals are now improving fast. Meeting after meeting, we are seeing the gaps between the teams narrowing as one would expect.”
Citroën will again be forced to carry 60 kg more weight than their rivals at the Slovakiaring, due to continuing to be the fastest cars in qualifying and the races.
“This process has been amplified by the introduction of the compensation weight system, which has allowed the other teams to shed 60 kg of ballast from their cars,” added Matton. “Finally, this is our first time on this circuit, whereas our competitors know it well. We will have to put in a flawless performance to extend our successful run.”
Of all the team’s three drivers, only Sébastien Loeb has previously won at the Slovakiaring. The former World Rally champion scored victory last season in an FIA GT Series race. Yvan Muller has not previously tasted victory in two previous trips to the circuit, with a brace of second-placed finishes his best results. José María López has never before raced at the circuit.
Loeb believes that amongst the biggest factors affecting the team’s performance at the Slovakiaring will be aerodynamics.
“The circuit is very different from the Hungaroring,” said Loeb. “With fast bends leading into long straight sections, aerodynamics will have a big role to play. We’ll have real opportunities to overtake by slipstreaming.
“There are also some very technically demanding sections, requiring plenty of braking, which are tricky to negotiate and tough on the tyres. We’ll have all that to think about and deal with!”
Unlike this team-mates, Loeb did not step on the podium in Budapest, after a poor start in the first race dropped him back into the pack. The Frenchman’s progress was hampered in race two by both the additional weight and the difficult of overtaking at the Hungaroring.
“On a more personal note, I’m hoping to get back on the podium to make up some of the ground I lost in Hungary,” added Loeb.