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McRae confirms Citroen switch

Colin McRae has ended the speculation that has surrounded his future over the past few months by signing a one-year deal to drive for Citroen in 2003.

The news was announced at the Paris Motor Show this Thursday morning. A short statement from Citroen stated: "[Team boss] Guy Frequelin has asked Colin McRae to join the Citroen team for the 14 rallies of the 2003 World Rally Championship.

"With 25 victories in WRC, as well as a World Rally Champion title, Colin will bring to the Citroen team his valued experience in the field of rallying."

Citroen will now enter its first full season in the WRC with an exciting driver line-up. Alongside McRae will be superstar-in-the-making Sebastien Loeb, the young Frenchman who scored his first WRC win in Germany last month. Satinet hopes Loeb can learn from McRae's experience and is expecting McRae to be on the pace in the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally.

"I am very pleased to have Colin for next year," he said. "He is one of the best drivers in the world. I'm really pleased for the team. Sebastien Loeb is a rising star but he needs more experience and he can learn from Colin. Colin has never won in Monte Carlo, but I believe he can win in Monte Carlo in January."

When quizzed about how much Citroen is going to have to pay for McRae's services - estimated to be around £5million a year - Satinet refused to drawn on details.

"I don't even know how much he is being paid," he said. "I am expecting good results as always. That's what it is all about. It's very important to have good drivers to achieve this."

McRae has been with current employers Ford since 1999, but despite becoming the most successful World Rally driver ever, scoring 25 WRC wins, he failed to add to his 1995 title he scored with Subaru.

This morning, Ford released a statement saying that, "it had regretfully elected not to renew the McRae's contract when it expires at the end of the 2002 FIA World Rally Championship season."

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