Photographs of Bryan Bouffier testing Citroën’s new DS3 R3 at Cooley Mountain in Co. Louth, ahead of the car’s world debut on this weekend’s Ulster Rally.
Speaking ahead of Rally NI, Bouffier said: “It’s true that this is going to be a completely new experience for me: I’ve never had the chance before to contest any British or Irish Championship events. The roads in Ireland are well known for being bumpy with several jumps throughout the rally. But I’m not worried at all: I know that the DS3 R3 will be very forgiving and consistent on these types of roads, whatever the conditions.”
Jean-François Liénéré, in charge of customer competition at Citroën Racing, commented: “While we have been very pleased with our progress in testing, nothing replicates real competition. The Ulster Rally is a very tricky event where competitors have to deal with narrow roads that offer little grip. The variable weather conditions in Ireland are capable of springing both nice and nasty surprises so these are sure to be a determining factor in the outcome of the rally. The ideal result for us in Antrim would be to win Group R and finish in the top five overall. From a sporting point of view, Ireland and Great Britain are very important customer competition markets for our company. Citroën has a strong presence thanks to the Citroën Racing Trophy, which boasts a high profile and several top quality drivers. These people are very interested in the new DS3 R3 and I believe that our latest challenger will live up to all their expectations.”
– Credit: Citroen UK