Henning Solberg will continue with Team Expert in an M-Sport Ford Focus for all 12 rounds in the 2009 WRC

Team Expert will continue to provide backing for Henning Solberg in a full WRC campaign of 12 events for 2009. Solberg also announced that he would continue to drive an M-Sport Ford Focus WRC for the season ahead, according to nrk.no.

There had been speculation by the Norwegian media just prior to the announcement that Expert would withdraw, or decrease, their support for Henning. But after a lengthy meeting today between sponsor and driver it was decided that the agreement would continue for a full programme in 2009. There will also, according to nrk.no, be more testing for Henning in the M-Sport Focus and he has been granted a higher priority within the team.

Henning comments about the news to nrk.no:

It's not often I am shivering, but I must admit that I have been it today. I've had some nerve-wracking months before Christmas and I have not been calm in body and soul, but now we have finally achieved the goals and I cannot  explain how happy I am.

Now I am just impatient to start testing and to get as many kilometres covered as possible behind the wheel.  Although the first event is Rally Ireland, I have already begun to think of Rally Norway in February."

Source: nrk.no

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

• Henning Solberg is virtually sure of a programme with Team Expert for the 2009 WRC
• Henning Solberg believed to have signed (or is about to sign) with Bozian, but may yet be in an M-Sport Focus for 2009
• Henning Solberg Stobart Ford Focus WRC Rally Norway test video