Citroën will leave the FIA World Rally Championship with immediate effect, it was announced on Wednesday.

The French manufacturer has cut short a two year-commitment with its C3 World Rally Car which was due to run until the end of 2020.

In a statement, Citroën CEO Linda Jackson thanked the Citroën Racing team for its 'passion and commitment'.

"A part of Citroën's DNA is intimately linked with the rally and we are proud to be one of the most titled brands in WRC history with 102 victories and eight manufacturer titles," she said.

The statement added that customer activities would be 'reinforced' next season.

"Building on the experience and the competencies of PSA Motorsport teams, Citroën customer competition activity will be reinforced in 2020, with a support and an amplified commitment towards C3 R5 customers throughout the world," it said.

It added that the decision to end manufacturer participation in the WRC would enable the company to reinforce its marketing focus on its brand strategy, with the launch of a new generation of electrified road car models coming in 2020.

The announcement means 2019 Citroën drivers Sébastien Ogier and Esapekka Lappi join the drivers currently available for other teams next season.

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