Abu Dhabi Total World Rally Team will enter two Citroën DS 3 WRC’s for the upcoming Rallye Monte-Carlo with Kris Meeke and Stéphane Lefebvre taking on the driving duties for the French manufacturer.
While the team will not be running a full programme this year as they focus on 2017, it is believed they will run a number of rallies in Europe to help with the continued developement of their drivers and co-drivers throughout the season.
With Meeke and Lefebvre at the helm for Monte-Carlo it is also expected that Craig Breen and Khalid Al Qassimi will get a number of opportunities this season too, with Breen and Al Qassimi getting their first outing at Rally Sweden alongside Meeke.
“After a successful three-year partnership with Citroën, we are pleased to maintain our presence in the WRC,” commented Khalid Al-Qassimi, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Racing.
“It’s a programme that has been approved by Citroën Racing and which benefits from the expertise of PH Sport. As lead driver, Kris Meeke will contest several rounds, whilst prioritising his development work with Citroën Racing. We will also be aiming to provide opportunities for talented young drivers from the PSA Peugeot Citroën group. Supported by the expertise of the team, they will be able to add to their experience and show what they can do.”
The 2016 Rallye Monte-Carlo will be Meeke’s seventh, with the Northern Irishman looking to better his 2014 third place finish alongside co-driver Paul Nagle.
Stéphane Lefebvre makes his competitive debut for the team alongside new co-driver Gabin Moreau and will be buoyed by his success in the WRC2 class last year when he took victory in Monte-Carlo.
“Being able to contest a certain number of rallies in 2016 was important when deciding about my future,” reiterated Meeke, who earlier this week confirmed a new 3-year contract with Citroën.
“I would therefore like to thank Abu Dhabi, Total and all the partners who have made it possible for us compete in very good conditions at these events. This programme will enable me to keep my hand in as regards racing and continue to learn about the WRC events. From that point of view, it seemed essential to compete at Monte-Carlo.
“It is such an unpredictable rally, where experience counts more than anywhere else. I can’t wait to get back into the car for pre-event testing to prepare for this first race.”
