Despite hopes that the injured Stephane Lefebvre might be fit enough to compete in the Catalyuna Rally (WRC round 11, 14-16 October), the Abu Dhabi Total World Rally Team have entered their other two 2017 candidate team members, Kris Meeke and Craig Breen. This was an event which Lefevre was originally expected to compete.
Lefebvre, meanwhile, is recovering from a broken pelvis and other injuries suffered in his Rally Germany crash.
This is the run-up to the time when Citroen Racing must decide which of their three candidate drivers will become regular official WRC drivers for 2017, so the lost chance to make an impressive performance in Corsica and Catalunya must be a major blow.
His co-driver, Gaban Moreau, who suffered leg injuries in their crash during Rallye Deitschland, has recently announced he is progressing in his recovery.
In a Tweet he said: “We are four weeks to the day after our outing in the Rally of Germany. Today things are improving, the pain subsides gradually, like it is heal the joints and snap back in little by little movement.
“Although I still cannot walk, my best friend is my wheel chair that allows me to move. I can leave the hospital and go home, it's good to finally meet in a common place and to relax a bit.
“The next week I should go to a rehabilitation center on Strasbourg to start re-weight the legs to be able to facilitate the rebuilding planned for early/mid October. I'm looking forward to start this work and can finally see the end.”
- Martin Holmes