Like in 2005, OMV will be joining forces with Kronos Racing to prepare the Citroen Xsara WRC for the 34-year-old Austrian for a full 16 event program.
His new team-mate, Daniel Carlsson, will only participate in six events of the championship: Sweden, Norway, Portugal, Italy, Greece and Finland.
Both drivers were enthusiastic about their new programs for the 2007 WRC season.
“The fact that I will compete again in 16 events next year seems like a dream. Even more exciting, it will be with the current World Champion team. I know Kronos Racing since I reached my first WRC podium place for them in 2005. The team works perfectly and has the advantage of being supported by Citroen-Sport. This should give us the opportunity to reach top positions next year, as well.“
“It is an incredibly good feeling to be part of the OMV Kronos Citroen World Rally Team," added Carlsson.
"I am sure that the Citroen Xsara WRC is the best rally car in the world and will be perfect also for me to support the campaign “World Rally against Drunk Driving“ (his sponsor). I’ve known Manfred for a very long time and am looking forward to working with him. I think it will be the perfect mixture to be successful. I can hardly wait to be behind the steering wheel once again.“
Kronos Racing has been involved in the World Rally Championship since 2004 achieving their first podium position with Manfred Stohl (second place) in Cyprus 2005. This year the team helped Sebastien Loeb take his third drivers’ title with a total of eight victories, and finished second in the manufacturers’ standings.
Meanwhile, Xavier Pons, 26, has decided that he won’t contest the 2007 WRC because he can’t get a drive that will offer him the program that he wants.
“In spite of the good results of the last part of the season, and having some proposals on the table, any of them offered me the minimun guarantees to face a 2007 season trying to fight for the podium places,” Pons said.
“Nobody could offer us a good testing program. To accept that kind of agreement was to waste all the work made untill now. It is very sad, but that's life."
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