Citroën on the Slovakia Ring: Pechito López, as evidence!

For the first time this season, a single pilot monopolized the top spot of the three free practice sessions. Even if he never ran on the Slovakia Ring, José María López was necessary as the strong man of the beginning of the meeting.

Saturday afternoon, the sun was at its zenith when competitors were beginning qualifications. In the first session, Yvan Muller and José María López curled a quick turn to position itself among the top twelve. The task of Sébastien Loeb was more difficult: the replacement of a link rear suspension forced him to get back on track in the final minutes to secure his passage to Q2. Sixth despite a fuel pump problem, Seb was still in the pit lane at the start of Q2 for the team to fix it.

Through the work of his mechanics, Seb clinched his place in Q3, as his comrades José María López - fastest time of the session - and Yvan Muller.

Citroen driver first to spring, the Alsatian knew out of the game at the first corner, when he went a little too wide. Sébastien Loeb, however, realized a perfect lap progressing substantially in the sweeping curves of the first sector. This was without counting on José María López, who confirmed his good form by becoming the first to go below 2'04''. With more than 3/10 of margin Sébastien Loeb, Argentina and signed his second pole position of the season after that obtained in Marrakech.

Yves Matton, Citroën Racing Team Principal: "Since the beginning of the season, our pilots to demonstrate their level of homogeneity and the team as a whole is pulled upwards. One race to another, this is the one that achieves the perfect tower wins the pole position. This weekend, Pechito is impressive, but Seb has grown steadily to get his place in the front line. This time it is Yvan which was a little less successful, but it remains that we make a tripled! "

José María López: "I did not know this circuit, but it suits my driving style. I felt good in the early rounds and I have worked with the team to advance the settings of my Citroën C-Elysée WTCC. Even if I had the best time of the first three sessions, I could not let me go, because I knew that Seb and Yvan are improving too. Thank you to all the team, it's always easier when you prepare myself as good a car. "

Sebastien Loeb: "I'm really excited about this position, I do not think I could compete with Jose. These qualifications have been difficult nervously. In Q1, we found a small problem on the suspension and mechanics have repaired just in time for me to make a quick turn. But a few hundred meters from the finish line, I lost power due to a fuel pump problem. I managed to return to the pits and we won a few minutes when Q2 was red-flagged. After earning my place in Q3, the team still had work to change the link that was broken in Q1. Ultimately, I must consider myself lucky to be in this place! "

Yvan Muller: "My chances of pole position vanished into the first corner. I ran wide and I knew it was over for me. I then drove the best, my times in the second and third sectors are also quite good. Tomorrow the start of race 1 will be very important: if my teammates do not make mistakes, it will be almost impossible to overtake. "

Classification Qualifications

1. José María López (Citroën C-Elysée WTCC) 2'03'' 912
2. Sébastien Loeb (Citroën C-Elysée WTCC) 2'04'' 284
3. Yvan Muller (Citroën C-Elysée WTCC) 2'04'' 541
4. Nobert Michelisz (Honda Civic WTCC) 2'04'' 903
5. Gianni Morbidelli (RML Chevrolet Cruze TC1) 2'04'' 931.

Citroën Racing