OSTBERG GETS SECOND CITROEN WRC CHANCE
Mads Ostberg will do everything he can to remain in the Citroen team beyond a planned one-off outing at next month’s Rally Sweden.
The Norwegian star’s surprise entry on the February 15-18 event was revealed at Autosport International last week – just hours after the deal was concluded between team principal Yves Matton and Ostberg. The 30-year-old enjoyed a two-season spell with the French manufacturer and scored seven podiums, finishing second on three events in 2014/15.
Ostberg, who spent last season as a WRC privateer, told MN: “This is the first step to get back to being a factory driver, that is one of my highest ambitions and I’m working really hard to do that. I know what Citroen stands for and this is a great opportunity to join them again – it’s only one rally for the moment, but I will do everything I can to stay inside that door.
“I have to say, this was a little bit of a surprise for me as well – we’ve been talking for a while and now it’s done. I’m so motivated.”
A five-time podium finisher in Sweden, Ostberg will be at next week’s season-opening Monte Carlo Rally with Citroen and he will join the team at its Versailles factory ahead of the Karlstad start of Rally Sweden.
“I’ll go to Monte to meet the guys and get familiar with the team again,” he said. “Then I go to France to sit in the car, get the seat and the belts right and to learn where the buttons are.”
Ahead of that, Ostberg will drive his own Ford Fiesta WRC at Saturday’s Sigdalsrally in Norway.
“I need all the driving I can get, so even though I have this agreement with Citroen, I will use the Fiesta this week,” said Ostberg. “My Adapta team Fiesta [WRC] has been at M-sport having the upgrades fitted to turn it into a 2018 car. It was for sale and it still is. At the moment my agreement with Citroen is for one event only but I hope, I really, really hope to make that last longer, the Fiesta could be a back-up plan.”
The Adapta Fiesta will also be present in Sweden, where it will be driven by one of two drivers. Henning Solberg is one possibility, but Ostberg wouldn’t be drawn on the other. He added: “I’m not going to tell you, but you would be surprised…”