Always strikes me as a pretty genuine sort of bloke - there is possibly also a large hint in there about Citroen's role in it, who "wouldn’t have stopped me from racing, but they weren’t too happy about it and I understand their position". When they're paying the bills and expect a world rallly championship to be delivered.........plus for a Citroen team driver racing with a privateer French team to be beaten not just by Audi but probably Peugeot too would, I imagine, not sit particularly well with the Citroen.
MG Mark