Loeb thrilled with manner of victory

The world champion led from the second stage onwards, and eventually beat second-placed Mikko Hirvonen by two minutes and 34 seconds, despite backing off on the final day.

"More than the fact that this was our 37th WRC victory and our fifth Monte win, I think the most significant thing is the way we won this year," said Loeb.

"Our C4 performed faultlessly throughout and the set-up we chose for the start proved excellent, which shows how well we worked upstream.

"The C4 and the Pirelli tyres also functioned well together on these asphalt stages which were often damp."

Loeb had previously won the event in 2003-5 and 2007, and until this weekend shared the record for Monte Carlo wins with Tommi Makinen and Walter Rohrl.

Despite the commanding manner of his victory, Loeb said he was not taking the upcoming rallies for granted.

"It's always nice to start the season with a win, but I have no intention of getting carried away because there are some very difficult rallies to come," he said.

Citroen's new team boss Olivier Quesnel agreed, especially as the next round is in the snow of Sweden, where main rivals Ford have won for the past two seasons.

"It's immensely satisfying to have started my job as director of Citroën Sport with a win on the Monte Carlo Rally. It gives us a solid footing in both championships," said Quesnel.

"I remain lucid, however, because the team is often successful on sealed surfaces. A totally different challenge awaits us in Sweden.

"Our rivals will doubtless be very strong in the slippery conditions and the fight promises to be more open."