Peugeot rules out WRC return

Peugeot has no plans to re-enter top-level World Rally Championship (WRC) rallying while PSA stablemate Citroen competes in the sport.

The French firm last competed in the WRC as a works team in 2005, before pulling out its 307 car at the end of the season to cut costs. Citroen also withdrew at the same time, but has since returned and continued its domination of the sport with driver Sebastien Loeb.

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Speaking to Autocar, a Peugeot source said the firm would never consider returning to the WRC while Citroen was still competing as it would lead to a conflict of interest within PSA.

"We cannot compete against Citroen in WRC," said the source.

Peugeot UK has entered a 207 in this year's Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) and driver Kirs Meeke took the title with a round to spare. The team has remained committed to the IRC for next year and Peugeot remains a big supporter of national rallying.

It made its WRC comeback in 1999 with the 206, having originally pulled out at the end of 1986 when Group B cars were banned. Marcus Gronholm helped the team claim the drivers' and manufacturers' titles in its first full year in 2000 and Peugeot retained the constructors' title in 2001 and again in 2002, with Gronholm taking another drivers' title in 2002.

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