Citroën tops the bill at Goodwood
The Citroën Total World Rally Team was present at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, held from July 4-5, for the very first time this year. Sébastien Loeb and Dani Sordo demonstrated the title-winning Citroën C4 WRC in front of more than 150,000 spectators.

Five-time World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb made his debut at the celebrated Goodwood Festival of Speed last weekend. On Saturday, the Citroën driver invited a number of high-profile co-drivers aboard his C4 WRC, including some journalists and the daugher of Lord March : the owner of Goodwood House. Also riding with Sébastien were the winners of a competition organised by the Richard Burns Foundation.

In between demonstrations, interviews, and some rare moments of relaxation in the imposing Red Bull motorhome, Sébastien Loeb met Mark Webber, who is currently fourth in the Formula 1 World Championship. The Citroën driver also came face to face with his many fans at a packed autograph session on the Citroën UK stand.

Sébastien managed to give Kris Meeke a taste of the Citroën C4 WRC on the 1.87-kilometre gravel stage, and in return the up-and-coming Briton gave the five-time World Rally Champion a ride in his Peugeot 207 Super 2000.

« Goodwood is an event like nowhere else » said Sébastien Loeb. « It was only the first time that I had been and I was really impressed by both the number of spectators and their obvious enthusiasm. There’s an amazing atmosphere. Just as is the case in rallying, the spectators have a chance to get really close to the cars and drivers. I was able simply to enjoy the feeling of being there without the pressure of competition. It’s a great experience and I would love it if a similar event took place in France at some point. »

The following day, Dani Sordo took over the Citroën C4 WRC. The co-driver’s seat was this time occupied by Marc Gene and David Brabham, the recent winners of the Le Mans 24 Hours. The Spaniard Marc Gene, with 36 F1 starts to his name, said that he was amazed by his compatriot’s skill behind the wheel.

« It was an incredible experience » concluded Dani. « Alongside the Citroën C4 WRC, we could see modern and historic cars from all branches of motorsport. It’s a great celebration not just of motorsport specifically, but of motoring in general. »

The Citroën Total World Rally Team crews will now focus their attention on Rally Finland, which takes place from July 31 – August 2.

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