Petter Solberg ecstatic about chance to rejoin Ford

Petter Solberg has promised he will be more focused than ever when he returns to the World Rally Championship as a factory Ford driver next season.

The Norwegian was announced as Ford's 2012 number two yesterday, following his first test of a Fiesta RS WRC. The 2003 World Rally champion, who will line up alongside Jari-Matti Latvala, said his new deal with team principal Malcolm Wilson meant as much to him as anything else in the sport, especially as he had made his WRC debut with the squad back in 1999.

"I can't tell you how happy I am," Solberg told AUTOSPORT. "It's an incredible feeling to be back with Ford, back where it all began."

Solberg, who has driven as a Citroen privateer for the last three years, completed close to 200 miles in the French Alps during his first test with the Ford team yesterday.

"It was a very good start," he said. "We had absolutely no problems, now I just can't wait to get started on the Monte Carlo. The Monte is one of the great rallies in the sport and having it back in the championship is very important for us all."

Wilson said he was delighted to have Solberg back.

"I'm very happy with the driver line-up for next year," he said. "I think it would be unfair to say that we're looking stronger than last year, because Mikko [Hirvonen] was a very strong team member who did a great job for us, but what I will say is that we're in with a very strong chance of the manufacturers' championship with Jari and Petter."

Citroen gives Thierry Neuville World Rally Championship programme for 2012




Citroen will bring Intercontinental Rally Challenge stand-out Thierry Neuville into the World Rally Championship next season.

The 22-year-old Belgian will drive a Citroen Racing Technologies-prepared DS3 WRC in at least nine rounds of the 2012 WRC, alongside regular co-driver Nicolas Gilsoul.

Neuville is confirmed for every round except New Zealand and Italy, with his presence in France and Spain provisional depending on how the first half of the season progresses.

"Ever since the moment I had the opportunity to drive the Citroen DS3 WRC in testing I've been dreaming of racing it," said Neuville. "It'll be the case in the Monte Carlo Rally, and I have to admit that I still have difficulty believing it.

"The 2011 season was a very positive one with two victories in two legendary rallies, the Tour of Corsica and the San Remo. I had to move up another step on the ladder and I'm very proud that Citroen Racing has put its trust in me for 2012. I'll do everything in my power to repay their confidence.

"My aim for the coming weeks is not to skip any stages, listen to the advice I'm given and understand how the team and the car work."

Neuville showed promise in a partial IRC campaign with Peugeot in 2010 before taking a massive step forward this season and becoming a rally winner and title contender, running at the front on all surfaces despite a relative lack of gravel experience.

Citroen team boss Olivier Quesnel said he had been watching Neuville's progress for a while and hoped he could fellow in the footsteps of Sebastien Loeb and Sebastien Ogier.

"Citroen Racing has been keeping a close eye on Thierry Neuville's career for several years now," he said. "We felt that the time had come to give him a chance at the topmost level.

"Like Sebastien Loeb, and more recently Sebastien Ogier, Thierry will find himself in a team that will help him complete his training and consolidate it with results. It's up to Thierry and Nicolas to seize this opportunity."

From iRally: The Prodrive MINI WRC team has confirmed that Dani Sordo and Pierre Campana will drive at Monte Carlo, with Campana replacing Meeke. A Tweet from the team states: "Sordo & Campana will drive at MC. Kris Meeke still part of the MINI team and should drive during the year plus testing & development." Campana has driven a customer MINI this year under a campaign led by the French motorsport body the FFSA.

Υγ π@@τανα ανέχεια .... τρώς τον Μικρό Meeke.....