Solberg to finish season with Subaru
Petter Solberg will drive for his new-team Subaru on next weekend's Tour de Corse Rally and is likely to finish the season with the Prodrive-run squad
Solberg makes the jump to Subaru from Ford and will compete in a full programme next year, but the Norwegian missed Rally Cyprus due to protracted discussions between the two teams. Solberg tgested an Impreza for the first time last week.
"It felt very good to get back behind the wheel," said Solberg. "There's a big difference between the Impreza and the Focus. The most important thing for me is experience. I hope to do all of the remaining events in a Subaru. All the rallies are hard to learn and it'll be important for me next season."
The 26-year-old will drive Subaru's test Impreza WRC2000 in Corsica alongside team-leader Richard Burns and Simon Jean-Joseph.
Frenchman Jean-Joseph is to replace Juha Kankunnen on the asphalt event and on the Rallye San Remo two weeks later as the four-time world champion prefers loose surfaces.
Jean-Joseph's Impreza will be the second car nominated to receive manufacturers points next weekend and the 31-year-old will play a supporting role to world championship contender Burns.
"I'm going to Corsica with the intention of finishing the event and getting some points," he said. "That's what Prodrive has asked me to do."
As for Solberg, he will set realistic targets for the French event and the remaining rallies of the year will be considered on an individual basis.
"He isn't going there to win, look at it that way," said Prodrive technical director David Lapworth. "Driving the car might help him in terms of testing, but the main aim is to get him into the rallies. If we can help him with that, we will."
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