Citroen Announces Departure From World Rally Championship

Citroen has announced that it will stop competing in the World Rally Championship with immediate effect following the decision of lead driver Sébastien Ogier to leave the team.

Ogier and team-mate Esapekka Lappi each had a year left on their respective contracts, but Ogier decided to cut his contract short following a disappointing season. He will move to Toyota and race alongside Elfyn Evans and Kalle Rovanpera.

The French racing outfit has enjoyed huge success over the last decade and a half having won no less than eight constructor’s championships since 2003 and nine consecutive drivers’ championships with Sebastian Loeb behind the wheel. Ogier finished third in this year’s championship behind the wheel of the C3 WRC.

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“Our decision to withdraw from WRC program as early as end of 2019 follows on Sébastien Ogier’s choice to leave Citroën Racing,” Citroen chief executive Linda Jackson said. “We obviously have not wished this situation but we could not imagine 2020 season without Sébastien. I would like to thank Citroën Racing team for their passion and commitment. A part of Citroën’s DNA is intimately linked with the rally and we are proud to be one the most titled brands in WRC History with 102 victories and 8 manufacturer titles.”

“Thanks to our matrix organization, our experts who are passionate about motorsport will be able to demonstrate their talent in the sporting disciplines of the championships in which the brands of Groupe PSA are involved,” PSA Motorsport director Jean Marc Finot added.

PSA Motorsport has previously confirmed that Citroen will not be involved in the championship’s move to hybrid powertrains in 2022. Moreover, they recently announced that Peugeot will join the World Endurance Championship’s Hypercar class, while DS will continue to compete in Formula E.