Tue 17 Dec 2024

Citroën banks on sibling power for 2025 WRC2 season

Citroën Racing has announced brothers Yohan and Léo Rossel as its official drivers for the 2025 WRC2 Championship, which begins at Rallye Monte-Carlo from 23 - 26 January.

The siblings, aged 29 and 27 respectively, will compete in identical Yacco-liveried C3 Rally2 cars, aiming to defend Citroën’s WRC2 Teams’ title. The French marque secured the championship in 2024 with contributions from Yohan Rossel and outgoing teammate Nikolay Gryazin.

Yohan, the elder Rossel, is an established force in WRC2, having been a consistent title contender since joining the category in 2022. After pairing with Florian Barral for the latter half of this year, he will reunite with his former co-driver, Arnaud Dunand, for the upcoming campaign.

“Representing Citroën Racing at the highest level is a tremendous honour and extending my commitment with my brother Léo in 2025 adds a deeply personal and passionate dimension to this challenge,” he said. “The C3 Rally2 has been phenomenal this season, whether on asphalt or gravel, and I’m excited to continue pushing its limits with a car that keeps evolving and surprising us.”

While Léo Rossel (below, right) has yet to compete on the world stage, he has already made his mark in national rallying, most recently clinching the 2024 French Rally Championship title in a PH Sport-run C3 Rally2. The youngster, who will partner with co-driver Guillaume Mercoiret, said: “Becoming the 2024 French Rally Champion with the C3 Rally2 was an incredible milestone in my career and joining Citroën Racing as an official driver in 2025 is a dream come true.

“Having grown up in the world of rallying and through the Stellantis Motorsport promotion programs, my journey is a testament to Citroën’s commitment to young talent. I’m ready to take on this new challenge alongside my brother Yohan and continue pushing the limits of this extraordinary car.”

Stellantis Motorsport Customer Racing Sports Director Didier Clément described the line-up as a statement of Citroën’s commitment to the sport’s future. He also highlighted the brand’s backing of WRC2 entries for Sarah Rumeau and Pablo Sarrazin, announced last week.

“The 2025 program fully embodies Citroën Racing’s commitment to excellence and developing young talent,” he explained. “Yohan Rossel will continue competing at the highest level, while the addition of Léo Rossel, Sarah Rumeau, and Pablo Sarrazin in WRC2 showcases our dedication to nurturing talent from the Stellantis Motorsport promotion programs.

“This is an ambitious new chapter for our brand and our vision of rallying, focused on performance and fostering the next generation of champions.”

Sweden
Starts: Thursday, February 13, 2025 at 8:00:00 AM
Spain
Starts: Thursday, April 3, 2025 at 7:00:00 AM
Turkey
Starts: Sunday, November 10, 2024 at 8:30:00 AM