Petter Solberg has been given the all-clear to contest the 2009 World Rally Championship in a car of his choice. After Subaru's withdrawal from next year's WRC, rumours were rife that the Japanese manufacturer wouldn't release Solberg from his contract (he was contracted until the end of 2009), however a press release on Solberg's website states:
“Petter Solberg and Subaru have agreed that Petter Solberg is free to enter any brand of the car he elects for participation in the WRC in 2009 and beyond.Petter Solberg will use the nearest future to sort out the possibilities to re-enter the WRC for 2009.â€
Meanwhile, the Adapta Rally Team has an exciting 2009 season in store. Prodrive have ensured that they will provide all the resources that the Norwegian rally team will need to perform at its best in 2009.
"We have had some very positive meetings with Prodrive", says team boss Morten Ostberg, on the website www.madsostberg.no.
"While we were not happy that the Subaru factory had ended its involvement in the rally world championship when it first happened, it has emerged that this opens up possibilities for us, as we hoped, to have greater access with Prodrive."
The second week of January sees the Adapta team begin testing for next year's WRC, in the latest version of the Subaru S14. They will spend three days in the new car.
Whilst it is still uncertain how many cars the Adapta World Rally Team will run in 2009, they have four cars available - two S12Bs and two S14s. Mads Ostberg is a definite starter in one of the S14 cars in eight WRC events, but no other drivers have been announced as yet. Fellow Norwegian, Petter Solberg, is welcome to join the team, Ostberg senior said, but no decision has yet been made by the former World Rally Champion.
Rally Norway will see the debut of the Adapta World Rally Team.
SUBSCRIBE BELOW TO READ THE FULL STORY
