Having secured two victories on asphalt, the Citroën DS3 R3 will take part in the Rallye des Cardabelles this weekend, in what will be the machine’s first run on gravel.
The Rallye des Cardabelles is based around Millau in the South of the France, and features as a round of the French Gravel Championship.
It comprises some 160km of competitive stage distance, a test which will aid the development of the DS3 R3 as it continues it’s demonstration outings.
Taking charge of the machine will be Marc Amourette and his co-driver Gwenola Marie, who usually pilot a C2 in either S1600 or R2 MAX form.
The duo currently sit atop the French Championship standings, and are deemed a suitably reliable crew to handle the DS3 R3 on the event.
Speaking of his approach to the upcoming outing in the new machine, Amourette said “I'm just going to approach it in the same way that I approach every rally, firstly by concentrating on my pace notes, which are very important on a gravel event. The opening stage will allow me to get to grips with the car and see where I am compared to everyone else; then I'm hoping to increase my pace with every kilometre”.
Alexis Avril, who is the chief engineer on the Citroën DS3 R3 project, said “We're entering a new phase in the progression of the DS3 R3 and the whole team cannot wait to demonstrate the car's potential on this new surface in competitive conditions. The DS3 will be equipped with the gravel kit that will soon be sold by Citroen's parts department. Our overall goal on this event is to measure ourselves against the established opposition and to confirm all the work we have carried out during the development of the car, where we concentrated in particular on chassis and suspension. The terrain, which is well known for being fast and sometimes rough, will be ideal for highlighting the solidity and strength of the car. On top of all that, we would also like to ensure that the car is reliable and competitive, whatever the surface”.
