Building on its young driver development and support programme, and in partnership with Abu Dhabi, Total and Pirelli, Citroen Racing is set to launch the Citron Top Driver series. Created to comply with the regulations for WRC 3, which will become part of the World Rally Championship in 2013, this series will be the final rung on the ladder leading to the upper echelons of rallying and a springboard towards the sports top flight category for the best drivers.

Since it first became involved in rallying, Citroen Racing has always attached great importance to finding and training the most promising young drivers. The likes of Sbastien Loeb, Dani Sordo, Sbastien Ogier and Thierry Neuville all started out with Citroen before going on to compete at the highest level. In 2013, Citroens Customer Racing department will extend its involvement in rallying by creating two new formulas. Although the FFSAs Rallye Jeunes (Young Rally Drivers) initiative remains the first level at which talented young drivers are identified, they can also make aname for themselves in a Citron DS3 R1 in the Citroen Racing Trophy Junior, held in eight countries across Europe, before competing in the same formula in a more powerful car: the DS3 R3. The missing component, however, has been the chance for these drivers to show off their skills on the biggest stages in world rallying, at a reasonable cost.

This is the idea behind the Citroen Top Driver series.

The concept came about when the FIA (Fdration Internationale de lAutomobile) decided to introduce regulations for a new category in the world championship, entitled WRC 3. This series will be open to two-wheel drive cars. The Citroen Top Driver series will feature a mixed calendar, with rallies contested in a DS3 R3. The crews and teams that score the most points will win the championship. The stakes are high, as the winner will be offered the chance to take part in six rallies in the WRC 2 championship (open to all four-wheel drive cars other than world rally cars) in 2014, whilst this vehicle will be prepared by the best team. The Citroen Top Driver series will therefore feature two lots of standings.

First and foremost, a drivers championship, where the top ten at each rally will be awarded points (25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 and 1) depending on where they finish in the group R standings (all classes). And a teams championship, in which the final results of one or two cars entered by teams at each rally will be added up, bearing in mind that teams may not designate more than two DS3 R3s per race as eligible to score points.

Our aim is to make it easier for drivers to compete in the World Rally Championship by creating a racing formula that is accessible and affordable, and which rewards the best drivers and teams, explained Marek Nawarecki, Customer Racing Manager for Citroen Racing. The very essence of this challenge is to create a stepping stone between the national championships and the world championship by putting in place a major programme which is within the reach of the crews. This involves sharing the cost. With this in mind, each team must enter at least two DS3 R3s in the Citroen Top Driver series. We would also like the teams to compete with each other in a transparent and fair manner, so each of them must publish their

season costs so that potential customers are able to compare the various options available to them.The series, which will feature four rounds on gravel and two on tarmac, is due to kick off at the Rally de Portugal on 13- 14 April of next year.