by Rob Wilkins
Subaru's managing director Richard Taylor has revealed that while they would like to run a second team next season in the World Rally Championship, it is by no means 'firmed-up' as yet.
Reports that the Banbury-based outfit would definitely run an extra two cars in the WRC in 2009 emerged last month, however, when asked about it, Taylor told
Crash.net Radio that nothing has yet been decided, although it is one of the squad's objectives.
"It [a second team] is something we have talked about over the last 12-18 months. But the last six months we haven't focused on that," he explained in an exclusive interview with
Crash.net Radio prior to this weeks Rally of Turkey. "We have concentrated all our efforts on getting the new car ready.
"However it is certainly something we are interested in for next year. I would like to think that it is reasonably likely. It is certainly one of our objectives.
"Indeed with the reduced number of overall events in the championship we would like to be running three or four cars on a full-time basis. So, yes we are looking at it, but nothing is firmed up as yet."
Asked what drivers' might be in the frame to drive the two additional Impreza WRC2008s, Taylor added that it is way too soon to say: "It is early days yet. We talk to a lot of people all the time and we know that there are people that are interested," he continued.
"But it is a matter of putting together the right arrangements with everybody to actually make it happen. I wouldn't like to predict anything yet. But certainly there are a couple of British drivers in there that we are talking to.
"Guy [Wilks] is somebody that is very, very enthusiastic about Subaru and who we have kept in touch with over the last 12 months or so. He would certainly be one that we would be interested to see in a car with us."
As for the new Impreza WRC2008, which made its debut in Greece less than two weeks ago, with
Petter Solberg taking the runners-up spot, he added that the team was extremely happy with how things went on the Acropolis.
