Original engine re-fitted to Loeb's car

After the Stewards of Rally Mexico imposed a five minute penalty on Sebastien Loeb for receiving a new engine on Thursday morning, the Citroen team has been told it can replace the original unit and avoid the penalty.

A notice issued by the Stewards said:

“The Stewards received a representation from the Entrant Citroen Total WRT that they had unfortunately taken the opinion of the FIA Technical Delegate to be regulatory instead of recommendatory.

“Upon reflection of the Stewards Decision No.1 the representation proposed (and followed it up in writing) that under these circumstances they wished to reinstall the original engine... ...and to take their chances to run this event with that engine.

After due deliberation, the Stewards decide to permit the entrant... ...to reinstall the original engine on the condition that the FIA Technical Delegate certifies that the seals are intact. Under these circumstances the five minute time penalty applied in the Stewards decision No.1 no longer applies.”

A Citroen spokeswoman confirmed that repairs had been made to the fuel system of the damaged engine, but work had not involved any of the areas sealed by the FIA. The team expects that Sebastien Loeb will drive the car over the start ramp on Thursday evening as per the original itinerary.