by Rob Wilkins


Gigi Galli has confirmed that he will compete in the FIA World Rally Championship in 2007, using a privately entered Citroen Xsara WRC car supplied by PH Sport.

Galli, who took in six events in the WRC last year, taking his maiden podium finish at the Rally Argentina, in a Pirelli-backed Peugeot 307, is hoping to begin his season on the Uddeholm Swedish Rally next month and he is planning to do around eight events in total, providing he can raise the necessary budget.

"At the moment we are trying very hard to put together a small programme," he confirmed exclusively to Crash.net Radio. "I am aiming to do maybe eight rallies, although it is still not confirmed 100 per cent. I hope to use a Citroen supplied by PH Sport from France. But on events it will be an Italian team that will run it - they will supply the logistical things and they will help me to arrange everything and do the recce and so on.

"Today it was the last day to do the entry for Sweden and for Norway and we have entered, but it is still not certain that we will compete. But I am quite confident to be able to be in Sweden with the Xsara WRC."

Asked about the car and how he expects to get on with it, Galli noted that he will probably have to adapt to it on the events, in the heat of competition, as he is unlikely to get much, if any, test mileage: "Like ever I think the main difficulty will be to understand the car and to get to know the handling," he added. "I have never driven a Citroen before and now I hope, in the next few weeks, to be able to get the budget I need.

"I then hope to be able to do some small tests - but that will be quite difficult. I hope that the car will be easy to drive and I hope that I can adjust quickly to it. I want to show some good performances on the rallies. I am sure it will be very hard though to get some good results as there are a lot of good drivers in the WRC.

"What is very important though is to stay involved in rallying and to try and show our performance and our personality. I need to do everything I can to get back in a works team."

As for when everything will be confirmed, the Italian noted that all the loose ends should be tied up before the end of January: "I think in a couple of weeks we will know something for sure. But as I said, I still have to find some budget and some people to help us to compete and to go and do everything," he concluded.