Petter Solberg announces return to Rallycross this year

2003 World Rally Champion Petter Solberg will switch back to competing in Rallycross this year, after failing to secure a seat in the WRC this season.

The Norwegian is planning to create his own team again, like he did in the WRC from 2009 to 2011, but this time in Rallycross. He will drive a Citroen DS3 Rallycross car, which is currently being built and should be ready at the end of next month. Solberg’s complete 2013 schedule is not ready yet, although he is considering competing in either the Global RallyCross Series or the FIA European Rallycross Championship.

In addition Solberg also wants to bid for Gold in the four Global X Games events, which will take place in Brazil, Barcelona, Munich and Los Angeles this year. “I devoted 15 years of my life to rally before calling an end to it in December last year – it was some of the best years of my life,” Solberg was quoted as saying by Crash.net.

The Norwegian said he chose Rallycross despite receiving many offers to drive in varioous forms of motorsport. „It is the coolest sport. It’s a place where I can be myself. Where else could I remain in a powerful awd turbo which is more or less a WRC car aside from the extra 300hp, and have between five and eight others around me spitting fire as well?! That to me is just too hard to pass up,” Solberg said.