Ogier promoted for gravel rallies

Spaniard Dani Sordo will step down from Citroen's top team to drive alongside Kimi Raikkonen in the Citroen Junior Team on Rally Finland, Rally Japan and Rally GB - before returning to partner Sebastien Loeb on the asphalt in Bulgaria, Germany, France and Spain.

Citroen racing director Olivier Quesnel said: "Even if we currently hold the advantage in both World Rally Championship classifications, we need to make sure that every opportunity comes our way.

"The 2009 season showed just how easily a favourable situation can reverse itself. Looking at the way things have gone in the first part of the season, it seems that Sebastien Ogier and [his co-driver] Julien Ingrassia would be able to help us to achieve our objectives on gravel.

"But I do not want people to think that this reflects in any way badly on Dani Sordo and [his co-driver] Marc Marti. They have had a slightly troubled start to the season and they need to get their confidence back.

"Driving in the Citroen Junior Team will give them the chance to compete without pressure and rediscover their form. Given the performance of our crews since the start of the season, I think that this will be the best line-up to help us meet our targets."

Ogier has outpaced Sordo through the first six rallies of the year. The Frenchman is second in the World Rally Championship standings on 88 points, while Sordo is sixth on 49 points. Sordo has outscored his fellow Citroen C4 WRC driver in stage wins by 24 to seven.