Petter Solberg: No more Xsara outings this year
Norwegian Petter Solberg will not drive his Citroen Xsara on the last two rallies of the 2009 WRC season and is on the brink of securing a factory-spec Citroen C4 or Ford Focus instead for the foreseeable future
Since deciding to withdraw from Rally Australia earlier this month, Solberg has been negotiating with both Ford and Citroen in an effort to upgrade his 2006 specification Xsara to a more competitive car for the 2010 season and this year's final two events in Spain and Wales.
Solberg tested a 2007 specification Citroen C4 WRC in France last week, covering 100 kilometres on gravel roads. Since then he has met with M-Sport boss Malcolm Wilson to discuss the possibilities at Ford - the team he left to join Subaru in 2000.
Speaking to wrc.com today, Solberg said a decision on whether to go down the Ford or Citroen route was imminent - and might be made today - but he already knew he had driven his last WRC rally in the Xsara.
"I'm still working hard on the deal, so I can't talk too much about what's been going on, but the test in the C4 was enough for me to decide not to drive the Xsara in Spain or GB," he said. "It's a good car, it works well, and maybe I'll use it in some other [promotional] events this year but I need to go forward."
With little chance of achieving his aim of a fully funded manufacturer seat in 2010, Solberg's WRC future is now most likely to involve a sponsor-supported partnership with Ford or Citroen - but still under the Petter Solberg World Rally Team banner.
"The test, and the meetings I have had with Ford and Citroen are all about finding out and taking the right decision for the future. It has to be a proper, full spec [car] if I'm going to drive next year and for that I need very, very good support from the team," he said.
World Rally Championship - News - Petter Solberg: No more Xsara outings this year
Since deciding to withdraw from Rally Australia earlier this month, Solberg has been negotiating with both Ford and Citroen in an effort to upgrade his 2006 specification Xsara to a more competitive car for the 2010 season and this year's final two events in Spain and Wales.
Solberg tested a 2007 specification Citroen C4 WRC in France last week, covering 100 kilometres on gravel roads. Since then he has met with M-Sport boss Malcolm Wilson to discuss the possibilities at Ford - the team he left to join Subaru in 2000.
Speaking to wrc.com today, Solberg said a decision on whether to go down the Ford or Citroen route was imminent - and might be made today - but he already knew he had driven his last WRC rally in the Xsara.
"I'm still working hard on the deal, so I can't talk too much about what's been going on, but the test in the C4 was enough for me to decide not to drive the Xsara in Spain or GB," he said. "It's a good car, it works well, and maybe I'll use it in some other [promotional] events this year but I need to go forward."
With little chance of achieving his aim of a fully funded manufacturer seat in 2010, Solberg's WRC future is now most likely to involve a sponsor-supported partnership with Ford or Citroen - but still under the Petter Solberg World Rally Team banner.
"The test, and the meetings I have had with Ford and Citroen are all about finding out and taking the right decision for the future. It has to be a proper, full spec [car] if I'm going to drive next year and for that I need very, very good support from the team," he said.
World Rally Championship - News - Petter Solberg: No more Xsara outings this year
