Citroën Sport Boss Takes Over Peugeot Team
11/12/2008
Just days after he lead Citroen to secure the 2008 World Rally Championship double, with the French car maker taking the manufacturers’ title and the Citroen C4 WRC Driver, Sébastien Loeb, taking his fifth world title after setting a new record for the most wins in one season, Citroen Sport boss Olivier Quesnel has been appointed to run the Peugeot Sport team in addition to his Citroen role.
Bringing the Citroen and Peugeot motorsport teams together under one person will have two aims:
· Ensure the continued success of the two brands in their respective disciplines, Citroen in the World Rally Championship and endurance racing in the case of Peugeot.
· Develop technical synergies between the two teams and reduce the duplication of costs.
"I am very proud to have been appointed Director of Citroën Sport and Peugeot Sport. I know the latter well having started my career with this team," says Olivier Quesnel. "I will do everything in my power to enable Peugeot Sport to surpass the results it has already achieved. The potential is definitely there: the 908 HDi FAP is competitive and everyone in the team is extremely committed. I am counting on their continuing motivation and determination to help me rise to this exciting new challenge just as successfully as we have done at Citroën Sport.
"As for Citroën, I am confident that we have the capacity to repeat the exceptional results we obtained in 2008, namely the Manufacturers' WRC title for the brand and the Drivers' and Co-drivers' world crowns for Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena for the fifth year running."
Olivier Quesnel, 58, has been the Director of Citroën Sport since January 1, 2008. He worked alongside Jean Todt to found Peugeot Talbot Sport in 1980. He then became the General Manager of the Michel Hommell media group before joining Citroën.
