Van Merksteijn Jr makes Citroen switch
Van Merksteijn Jr makes Citroen switch
Peter van Merksteijn Jr will contest 10 rounds of next season's World Rally Championship in a Citroen DS3 WRC run by the French manufacturer's second-string factory team.
The 28-year-old from the Netherlands will make his debut for the squad on Rally Sweden in February. His programme will include the non-European events in Australia and Jordan but won’t feature the rounds in Argentina, Finland and Mexico.
Van Merksteijn’s father, Peter Sr, will also be at the wheel of a DS3 WRC on selected events although his programme has yet to be finalised.
The van Merksteijns are no strangers to the world championship and have contested numerous European-based rounds of the series in the past in Ford Focus RS WRCs. While Peter Sr has dabbled in sportscar racing, Peter Jr has focussed on rallying although business commitments have restricted his outings in recent seasons.
“I like the looks of the car and I think it’s good to go with another team to start from zero because I can learn more that way,” said van Merksteijn Jr of his decision to join Citroen. “I drove some rallies over the years but never a full programme. Now I will be looking to score points, particularly on the events that I know like Sweden and Germany.”
Van Merksteijn Jr will undertake four tests during the course of next season including a run prior to the Karlstad-based Rally Sweden, which takes place from February 10-13. He will also contest two national events in France, one on gravel and one on asphalt prior to the rounds in Portugal and Germany respectively.
Confirmation of van Merksteijn Jr’s agreement with Citroen could put Kimi Raikkonen’s future with the team in doubt. Raikkonen is keen to continue in the WRC next season but has yet to put a deal in place. With Citroen Racing chief Olivier Quesnel insisting there will only be four DS3 WRCs in action next season, and with Petter Solberg his number one target to head Citroen’s second team, Raikkonen could be left without a drive.
“I’m not sure who my team-mate will be,” said van Merksteijn Jr. “I have seen the rumours but I don’t know what is happening.”
Fonte: wrc.com/ Dica: Sleenster
Ok, Uma vaga confirmada na Citroën Junior Team. Só resta mais uma. O que será de Kimi Räikkönen em 2011? De verdade! A mais pura verdade? Acho que nem ele sabe!
E lá vamos nós outra vez para o futuro de incertezas! Ser fã de Kimi nos últimos anos é isto, acaba o ano e você não sabe se o viu pilotar pela última vez! Estou com um péssimo pressentimento! Mas enfim... não há nada que eu possa fazer sobre isto!
Beijinhos, Ice-Ludy
Peter van Merksteijn Jr will contest 10 rounds of next season's World Rally Championship in a Citroen DS3 WRC run by the French manufacturer's second-string factory team.
The 28-year-old from the Netherlands will make his debut for the squad on Rally Sweden in February. His programme will include the non-European events in Australia and Jordan but won’t feature the rounds in Argentina, Finland and Mexico.
Van Merksteijn’s father, Peter Sr, will also be at the wheel of a DS3 WRC on selected events although his programme has yet to be finalised.
The van Merksteijns are no strangers to the world championship and have contested numerous European-based rounds of the series in the past in Ford Focus RS WRCs. While Peter Sr has dabbled in sportscar racing, Peter Jr has focussed on rallying although business commitments have restricted his outings in recent seasons.
“I like the looks of the car and I think it’s good to go with another team to start from zero because I can learn more that way,” said van Merksteijn Jr of his decision to join Citroen. “I drove some rallies over the years but never a full programme. Now I will be looking to score points, particularly on the events that I know like Sweden and Germany.”
Van Merksteijn Jr will undertake four tests during the course of next season including a run prior to the Karlstad-based Rally Sweden, which takes place from February 10-13. He will also contest two national events in France, one on gravel and one on asphalt prior to the rounds in Portugal and Germany respectively.
Confirmation of van Merksteijn Jr’s agreement with Citroen could put Kimi Raikkonen’s future with the team in doubt. Raikkonen is keen to continue in the WRC next season but has yet to put a deal in place. With Citroen Racing chief Olivier Quesnel insisting there will only be four DS3 WRCs in action next season, and with Petter Solberg his number one target to head Citroen’s second team, Raikkonen could be left without a drive.
“I’m not sure who my team-mate will be,” said van Merksteijn Jr. “I have seen the rumours but I don’t know what is happening.”
Fonte: wrc.com/ Dica: Sleenster
Ok, Uma vaga confirmada na Citroën Junior Team. Só resta mais uma. O que será de Kimi Räikkönen em 2011? De verdade! A mais pura verdade? Acho que nem ele sabe!
E lá vamos nós outra vez para o futuro de incertezas! Ser fã de Kimi nos últimos anos é isto, acaba o ano e você não sabe se o viu pilotar pela última vez! Estou com um péssimo pressentimento! Mas enfim... não há nada que eu possa fazer sobre isto!
Beijinhos, Ice-Ludy
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