C3 R5 gets down and dirty..

After a promising debut on tarmac at the Tour de Corse, where it claimed two stage wins and finished as runner-up in the WRC2, the Citroën C3 R5 is now preparing for its maiden outing on gravel – the surface on which most of the world rally championship is contested – at next week's Rally de Portugal.

Unsurprisingly, the target is to enjoy the same success on gravel. This is all the more true since in the meantime, Citroën's new flagship model claimed its first overall victory at the Rallye Lyon-Charbonnières, as part of the French Rally Championship. The only car in its category to be fitted with a specific front axle geometry for each surface, the Citroën C3 R5 has not compromised on performance at all.

Once again, it will be up to Stéphane Lefebvre – Citroën Racing works driver – to demonstrate the car's qualities in a country and at an event that he really loves, on his second appearance of the season in the WRC2