Citroen say Ireland win was vital

Loeb has been unbeatable on tarmac in recent seasons - having not lost a sealed-surface rally since Marcus Gronholm beat him in Monte Carlo in 2006.

But as part of the condensed calendar and rotation system introduced for 2009, the asphalt rallies in Monte Carlo, Germany and Corsica have been dropped from the schedule, leaving only Ireland and Catalunya as all-tarmac events.

Quesnel therefore believes it is essential for Citroen to maximise their dominance on asphalt, as they did this weekend with a dominant one-two in Ireland.

"We had been hoping to start the season with a win, if only because the 2009 calendar features just 12 rounds, with only two on asphalt," he said. "There will be a high price to pay for any mistake this year."

He added that it was even more important to win in Ireland because Citroen expect Ford to be very hard to beat on the snowy stages of round two in Norway. Loeb has only once won on snow, in the 2004 Swedish Rally.

"The fact that we are leading both championships after the season's curtain-raiser means we can go into the next event in a more relaxed frame of mind," said Quesnel. "That said, we won't be favourites because the second round takes place on a terrain that tends to be more suited to the Scandinavian specialists."

Ford's European motorsport director Mark Deans believes Citroen are right to expect a much tougher battle in Norway.

"This rally was all about maximising manufacturer points in an event which was less likely to favour our drivers," Deans said.

"As we look ahead to the next round in Norway, I'm confident we can reverse that situation."