The WRC regulars look forward to the Mexican fixture and one of the reasons for that is the fact that it is the first outing of the year on gravel, the season’s most frequently encountered surface type (10 rallies from 15). “Mexico tends to be dry and hot, and it is also the year’s first dirt rally,” confirms Citroën Sport’s Technical Manager, Xavier Mestelan-Pinon. “Once the first three events are behind us, we will have a clearer picture of this season’s key players and of the areas in which we will need to improve in our bid to win the Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ titles.”
The route is practically identical to that of 2007, with 354km of against-the-clock action. “The fact that the stages are repeated from one year to the next is something we need to take into account,” continues Xavier Mestelan-Pinon. “The conditions could be rougher this time round and the high altitudes we visit – up to 2,700 metres – will again play a key role. Because of the lower atmospheric pressure, the engines deliver less power and their cooling systems work less efficiently. That said, this is known territory for us now and we took these parameters into account during our test programme for this rally.”