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| WRC: Quesnel wants Räikkönen and Solberg for Citroën Junior Team in 2011
Kimi Räikkönen and Petter Solberg are Citroën team principal Olivier Quesnel's preferred driver pairing for the marque's Junior Team effort in 2011.
Neither man has yet signed for next season but both would likely jump at the chance to compete for the WRC's top manufacturer if the funding could be found to make a deal happen.
Räikkönen has driven for the Junior Team this season with patchy results but recently affirmed his desire to remain in situe next year. The team has a free seat for 2011 with Sébastien Ogier stepping up to the main team and his predecessor Dani Sordo leaving the Citroen fold, providing Solberg with an opening. The Norwegian has been a star in his privateer squad over the last two years but recently admitted that he can’t continue in a dual owner-driver capacity.
"After what they did here this year, for me Petter and Kimi are the priority," said Quesnel of next year's driver line-up. "Maybe we'll have to change the name from 'Junior Team'. We have Ogier in the main team now so we are not looking for young drivers for the next two years."
Quesnel was particularly keen to praise Solberg and, despite admitting that securing his place at the team won't be easy, believes a deal can be done to put the 2003 world champion the new DS3 WRC next year.
"For Petter, it's not just 'okay, you were fast so you can come'. It's more complicated than that, but I'm sure in the end it will be okay," Quesnel said in reference to Solberg’s lack of sponsorship.
"I have a lot of respect for what he did this year. I know how complicated it is to find the budget and to build the team, and then he has to drive the car as well.
“Honestly, what he did is really complicated and I take my hat off to him."
Solberg himself has admitted that he needs to return to a manufacturer team, and says he is in talks with unnamed teams about next year.
"At the moment I have nothing," said Solberg. "I have one sponsor who will come with me. I'm very tired of trying to do everything and it's certain that you can't be world champion in a private team. We're talking so let's see what happens."
Solberg campaigned a customer Citroën C4 this year, recording eight podiums on his way to third in the drivers’
Source: www.motorstv.com/car/rally/wrc/1811...or-team-in-2011
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