French automaker Citroën has finally confirmed it will campaign the World Touring Car Championship, starting next year and with star driver Sébastien Loeb in tow. Loeb is the winner of nine World Rally Championships and was predicted to join Citroën in WTCC as early as September of last year.

This will be a new challenge for both Citroën and Loeb, who will be driving one of at least two cars entered by the automaker in the 2014 season.

Citroën’s entry into the world of track racing will coincide with the introduction of a new generation of cars, which means many of the teams competing will be on a level playing field.

Citroën hasn’t revealed which of its cars it will use for the WTCC but said work is well underway at its motorsport headquarters in Versailles, France.

Crucially, engineers have been able to re-use a large part of Citroën’s existing expertise from its domination in WRC over the years, starting with the DS3 rally car’s direct-injected and turbocharged 1.6-liter engine.

Citroën is still committed to rallying, specifically the WRC, but its move into WTCC will help develop its brand in growing markets such as China, Russia and South America. Citroën now joins the likes of BMW, Chevrolet, Ford and Honda already in the sport.

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