Simon Jean-Joseph and Citroën eastward bound again after earlier visits to Croatia and Poland, the European Rally Championship’s calendar takes competitors into Eastern Europe once more, this time for the Rally Bulgaria. Continuing their ERC campaign, Simon Jean-Joseph and his co-driver Jack Boyère will be at the start with their Citroën C2 Super 1600.
The all-asphalt Rally Bulgaria is the sixth round of the 2007 European Rally Championship and is based in Borovetz, a popular tourist destination in the Rila Mountains which culminate in the 2,925-metre Musala peak. In this highly forested region, the local roads seem to have been made for use as rally stages. “It’s a very interesting event set to a lovely backdrop, ” says Simon Jean-Joseph who has good experience of this round thanks to two previous participations, both of which saw him secure second place.
“One of the features of the Rally Bulgaria is the fact that we do the tests in one direction on the first day and in the other the next. There aren’t many stages but some of them are around 30km in length and can spring a few surprises. The aging asphalt gives varying levels of grip and the profile of the roads is also quite varied, with a blend of slow, fast and technically demanding portions. I must say it’s an event I really enjoy. “
After setting the scene, Simon makes no secret about his objective in Bulgaria: “I will have no other choice than all-out attack! I had trouble finding the right pace in Ypres, but it will be important to hit the ground running in Bulgaria. On paper, our mission promises to be quite tough against our numerous rivals in four-wheel drive cars. Even so, I am convinced we stand a real chance with the Citroën C2 Super 1600 and I know we will be able to count on the services of PH Sport which runs the car along with staff from Citroën Sport.
The C2 has already shown its speed on sealed surfaces and I hope to put its potential and reliability to maximum effect to score valuable ERC points. For that, if luck finally decides to come down on our side, we will need to finish both legs on the podium. ” Citroën Sport’s Customer Competition Manager Yves Matton echoes the comments of Simon Jean-Joseph: “A strong result in Bulgaria is vital if we want to keep our chances of figuring well in the ERC alive. For that, Simon will be able to count on good previous knowledge of the event and also on the potential of the Citroën C2 Super 1600.
The stages are very similar to those found in Croatia where Simon and the C2 came third after a puncture put paid to their genuine chances of victory. This time, it will be important to convert their performance into a top result. ”
