Graham
RMS Photographer
Yves Matton has been appointed Citroën Racing Team Principal with effect from 5 January 2012. He takes over from Olivier Quesnel, who remains Peugeot Sport Director. Xavier Mestelan Pinon has been appointed as Deputy Principal, in addition to his position as Technical Director.
Reporting directly to Frédéric Banzet, the Citroën General Manager, Yves Matton’s task will be to ensure that Citroën Racing continues its winning ways. An exceptional 2011 season saw the Citroën Total World Rally Team collect ten victories and clinch its seventh Manufacturers’ title, while Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena racked up their eighth consecutive Drivers’ and Co-Drivers’ titles.
Frédéric Banzet, Citroën General Manager, said: “I would like to thank Olivier Quesnel for the job he’s done in his four years as Citroën Racing Team Principal. Under his management, Citroën has won the Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ and Co-Drivers’ Championship titles every year with Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena. Yves Matton’s task will be to maintain Citroën Racing’s high level of excellence.”
Yves Matton (44), Bachelor of Business Administration from Antwerp University, founded Prorace in 1990, a company specialising in the preparation and rental of racing cars. In 1996, Prorace began its successful involvement in the Citroën Challenge. In 2002, he joined Citroën Racing and was appointed Team Manager and head of the client competition service. In 2008, he decided to set up MY Racing to distribute Citroën Racing spare parts in Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Germany.