Replaced by Carlos Sainz and Marc Marti for this weekend’s Rally of Turkey, Francois Duval and co-driver Stephane Prevot blame each other for being dumped by Citroën WRC team boss Guy Frequelin.

Replaced by Carlos Sainz and Marc Marti for this weekend’s Rally of Turkey, Francois Duval and co-driver Stephane Prevot blame each other for being dumped by Citroën WRC team boss Guy Frequelin.


CARtoday.com recently reported that Sainz and Marti were called up by Citroën after Duval, who crashed his Xsara WRC in three out of six rallies this year, and Prevot, who claims the young Belgian drive refused to adhere to respond to his pace notes, were unceremoniously dropped from the French team.

“He (Duval) hasn't listened to my pace-notes," Prevot was quoted as saying. "I've had to watch his hands on the steering wheel and his feet on the pedals as well as reading my pace notes. That's not the way to co-drive. It was like he was on the PlayStation."

Duval countered the accusation by saying: "After Monte Carlo, Stephane said “be careful, be careful”. There was no confidence with him and no confidence with me. In 2004 it was okay, but now it's not."

Former world champion Sainz, has admitted to facing a steep learning curve in preparation for the weekend’s round. The Spaniard retired at the end of last season and insists that his return to the rally championship is for one round only.

He was the winner of the inaugural Rally of Turkey in 2003 and said he was baffled to learn that Duval has been experiencing problems at his new team.

"Francois (Duval) is a very good driver and I'm still confident that he can make it. I don't know what the problem has been, whether it's something mental or some communication thing. He can come back from this."

Frequelin has yet to decide on a long-term strategy for the second Xsara and has said his decision to sign the Belgian was a mistake.

“I can only admit I was wrong. Considering what Duval did with Ford in 2003 and 2004, it was a good choice, but considering what he’s done with us since Monte Carlo, yes, it was a mistake,” the Frenchman said.

Duval still fancies his chances of returning to the Citroën factory team later this season, though.

“I am sure I will come back with Citroen in Greece. I don't know if Citroen will take a different driver, but there aren't many young drivers out there," Duval told magazine after he was dropped.

Frequelin is unclear about whether Duval will drive for Citroën again, and added that the Belgian’s contract was not watertight.

"We can get out of the contract very easily, considering what happened," Frequelin added.

Original article from Car