Terrific
news this morning from Citroen who released the following:
Third in the Junior WRC with Citroën in 2005
and winner of the IRC in 2009, Kris Meeke competed in his first rallies with
the Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team in 2013. This season, the Brit
play a major part in Citroën securing second place in the Manufacturers’ World
Championship.
In 2015, Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle will
therefore be joining forces in a works DS3 WRC.
“When we chose Kris Meeke for this season, we
took a bit of a gamble,” recalled Yves Matton, Citroën Racing Team
Principal. “But he has improved with pretty much every race and has now become
a complete driver. The real turning point was at Rally Finland. He adopted the
right approach. He has managed to acquire experience throughout the season. He
has shown that he not only has real pace, but that he can be more patient
sometimes as well. Kris is a competitive driver on all surfaces, capable of
being quick on tarmac and on gravel. This versatility is a real asset for
Citroën Racing. The name of the second works driver for 2015 will be announced
shortly, once we have finalised the various discussions that are still
ongoing.”
Having secured podium finishes on surfaces as
different as Monte-Carlo, Argentina, Finland and France, Kris Meeke and Paul
Nagle also led rounds in Germany and Australia. With an identical calendar
scheduled for next season, the experience they have acquired this year will
help them be even more competitive in 2015.
“It’s fantastic to have the opportunity to
continue to work together,” commented Kris Meeke. “Since the end of last year,
Citroën Racing has given me the chance to prove my worth. This first full
season has been spent learning about the WRC. In the second half of the year, I
was able to show part of my potential. There’s room for improvement, but I now
have some decent foundations to build on next year, in order to keep
progressing. With experience, everything becomes that bit easier. I know the
team well and we understand each other. I feel like I’m part of the Citroën
family!”
Looks like Citroen will have to order some more Clonakilty black
pudding for the catering tent!
