Francois Duval will compete on all the remaining rounds in this year's World Rally Championship it has been announced.
The Belgian, who stood in the for injured
Gigi Galli in New Zealand, had originally only been due to compete in Spain and France before the end of the season, but following the efforts of Structo businessman and backer Steven Vergalle, he will also now do the Rally Japan and Wales Rally GB.
"This is excellent news," Duval told his personal website. "Steven has waved his magic wand and has succeeded in coming to an agreement with [Ford boss] Malcolm [Wilson] so that I can finish the season.
"I believe I can put in a good performance on these four rallies. For Catalonia and Corsica tests are already planned.
"I want the car to be the very best and I know I can trust [Ford technical director] Christian Loriaux.
"In New Zealand I let myself down and got distracted by [Jari-Matti] Latvala's exit. But rest assure I will come back - and I am looking forward to getting back in the car soon."
Duval, who had been nominated to score points' for the
Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team in New Zealand, had been running fifth there, until he crashed out in the penultimate stage.
He will run under the
BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team banner in Spain and France, and while it has yet to be confirmed what team he will represent in Japan and GB it is expected that he will revert back to the Blue Oval's 'B' team.
As for beyond 2008, Vergalle believes Duval's fate is now in his own hands: "I cannot do more to help Francois," the Structo man told
rallye-magazin.de. "I hope that he can find a seat for the coming year in a works team.
"Ford is a possibility and would be ideal but one must not forget that both
Mikko Hirvonen and
Jari-Matti Latvala have contracts. If he ends up somewhere else that would also be good."
