Citroen doesn't want Andreas Mikkelsen for 'one shot' in WRC
Citroen and Andreas Mikkelsen are already exploring ways to extend the Norwegian's World Rally Championship participation beyond his Rally Italy one-off
The winner of the 2016 finale before Volkswagen's exit, Mikkelsen is yet to contest a rally in one of this year's revamped cars, but will join Citroen for Sardinia, replacing Stephane Lefebvre.
Mikkelsen is due to test Citroen's C3 WRC this week, and team principal Yves Matton said "Andreas has nothing to prove to us", with car availability the bigger barrier to a longer-term deal.
"We will not put him under any pressure, we just want him to find his level and drive at it," Matton told Autosport.
"I am quite convinced he can do a good rally in Italy if he can get comfortable in the car during the test and then improve that feeling through the event.
"When we asked Andreas to join us, for sure the intention was not for him to have one shot and then we say goodbye.
"We don't want drivers to come to us just once. For the moment I don't know [what can be done in the future].
"Car availability is difficult, we have a lot of demand on the cars. What we can say now is that we will take this step-by-step."
Citroen is already committed to running a maximum of four cars for Kris Meeke, Craig Breen, Khalid Al-Qassimi and Lefebvre on selected rounds.
Because of his off-road racing commitments, Al-Qassimi is on a limited programme, but running a fourth car on all remaining rounds would stretch the Paris-based team.
Mikkelsen's management has confirmed to Autosport that he would be available to Citroen for the rest of the season, his 2017 outings so far limited to a handful of Skoda WRC2 starts.
"I'm really, really happy with this deal," Mikkelsen said.
"This is what I have been waiting for and looking for, the chance to be back at the top level.
"Obviously this year the championship is destroyed for me, what's important now is to be in the best position possible for next year and I'm looking forward to testing the C3 for the first time.
"I tested the 2017 Polo last year and I have tested the Hyundai this season, so I have some experience of the cars.
"Of course, I would like to stay [at the top level of WRC] for the rest of the season."
Citroen starting from scratch with new-for-2018 WRC2 car
Volkswagen's WRC domination would have continued, says Capito
What Autosport is looking forward to in 2023
There’s a lot happening this season, so here are the highlights Autosport staffers and contributors are getting excited about…
Busch calls out "disrespect from everybody" in "disaster" NASCAR Clash
Kyle Busch has called out "disrespect from everybody" in Sunday's "disaster" NASCAR Cup Series pre-season Clash at Los Angeles' Memorial Coliseum.
Why the time was right for Ford's F1 return with Red Bull
Some 22 years after pulling the plug out of Jaguar and handing the keys to a certain Dietrich Mateschitz, the paths of Ford and Red Bull have crossed again. And their 2026 Formula 1 alliance makes sense for both parties.
Vandoorne joins Peugeot WEC team as reserve driver
Reigning Formula E champion Stoffel Vandoorne will serve as Peugeot’s official reserve driver in its first full season in the World Endurance Championship in 2023.
Why Monte Carlo success could spark another past master’s WRC revival
Some 39 years on from his Monte Carlo Rally debut, World Rally Championship legend Francois Delecour continues to pick up silverware. Proving that age is purely a number, the 60-year-old's desire to compete against the WRC’s latest young talents could be the start of a new chapter in the Frenchman’s storied career
How fired-up Ogier became the WRC's ultimate Monte master
He may only be contesting a part-time campaign in the World Rally Championship these days, but Sebastien Ogier underlined that he's lost none of his speed in the 2023 season opener. Storming to yet another victory on the Monte Carlo Rally, the eight-time world champion rewrote the history books again as Toyota served notice of its intentions with a crushing 1-2
How Lancia pulled off its famous Monte Carlo giantkilling
Audi should have been invincible in the snowy conditions that typically greeted the World Rally Championship paddock in Monte Carlo. But unexpectedly warm weather for the 1983 season opener, combined with some left-field thinking from the Lancia crew turned the tables. Forty years on, team boss Cesare Fiorio reflects on a smash and grab
Why M-Sport has pinned all its efforts on a WRC reunion
M-Sport had a disastrous 2022 with its Rally1 Ford Pumas following Sebastien Loeb’s first-time-out win on the Monte. But now things are looking up with 2019 world champion Ott Tanak leading its attack, and the Cumbrian operation has optimism that it can challenge for a first title since Sebastien Ogier's departure at the end of 2018
The contenders seeking to take Rovanpera's WRC crown
As Kalle Rovanpera begins his World Rally Championship title defence in Monte Carlo, the Finn knows he has a target on his back. But who is best placed to knock the Toyota ace off his perch?
Why Rovanpera is anticipating a fight to defend his WRC title
Question: what could be harder than becoming the youngest-ever World Rally champion? Answer: becoming the youngest-ever two-time World Rally champion. That's quite the challenge facing Toyota's Kalle Rovanpera in 2022, particularly against rejuvenated opposition in the second year of the WRC's hybrid regulations
From F1 to WRC: Why Hyundai's new boss could be an inspired signing
OPINION: New Hyundai WRC team boss Cyril Abiteboul admits he’s got a lot to learn as he leads the marque's efforts to dethrone Toyota. But could his Formula 1 experience and evident strengths mean he turns out to be an inspired choice?
The ultimate rally car project the WRC is glad COVID killed
Toyota was unstoppable in the 2021 World Rally Championship, with an excellent 75% strike rate from 12 rallies. But in a scary proposition for its rivals, the Japanese marque had built a car for the final year of the previous regulations set which it believes was much faster and could feasibly have crushed the opposition completely. Here the story of its mothballed world-beater
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.