Motorsport: Citroen looking to bounce back

Kris Meeke during the Shakedown of the WRC Sweden. Photo / Getty Images

Citroen will look to kick-start their 2017 World Rally Championship at this week's Rally Mexico.

The French manufacturer had been tipped as potentially having the car to beat this year but indifferent performances in the first two rounds of the championship have calmed expectations.

Team Principal Yves Matton is confident that they will have better fortune on the gravel of Mexico.

"The team continues to work with determination," he said. "During the test session we held last week, we questioned certain principles of the set-up and that helped us to identify the areas in which we can improve.

"We are striving for a good performance level in Mexico. Given his starting position for the opening leg, Kris [Meeke] will be trying to get among the leaders in the hope of kick-starting his season. Meanwhile, Stéphane [Lefebvre] will need to go for position to score points for the Manufacturers' Championship.

"We are very excited about going back to this event, with its very special atmosphere. The Mexico City super special stage will be a huge promotional opportunity for the WRC. Staging part of the rally in the middle of a city with a population of twenty-four million people is fantastic, both for the championship and the manufacturers."

Meeke made mistakes in Monte Carlo and Sweden and will have to break a run of two bad results in his only previous visits to Mexico.

"Mexico is one of the rallies I know the least, but it's a course that I like," the Northern Irishman said. "I think that we headed in the right direction during testing and I'm looking forward to checking that in racing conditions.

"Despite the loss of power, it should still be pretty enjoyable to drive the cars because we'll be at more or less the same level as last year's WRCs. We'll have to guard against being too aggressive behind the wheel so as to avoid losing time.

"I'm also pleased to be going to Mexico City for the super special stage. If the atmosphere at the F1 Grand Prix is anything to go by, then it's going to be a very special occasion in an iconic setting. I'll bring my dinner jacket along in honour of 007."