Burns signs two-year deal with Subaru.

2001 FIA World Rally Champion Richard Burns, who gained his title driving an Impreza WRC, has today signed a two-year contract that will see him return to Subaru from the start of next season. Burns currently leads this year's Drivers' Championship by five points, with five events still remaining.

His long-standing co-driver Robert Reid, who was paired with Burns in their Championship winning year, will also join the Brit back at Subaru.

Burns and Reid started their works driving careers with Subaru in 1993, when Burns became the youngest winner of the British Championship. They stayed with the team for the 1994 and 1995 seasons, competing on selected rounds of the WRC and coming second in the Asia Pacific Championship. The pair left to drive for Mitsubishi between 1996 and 1998, but returned to Subaru in 1999 for three hugely successful years, during which time Burns collected eight of his ten WRC victories, and the 2001 FIA Drivers' title.

"Subaru is the team I've had the most success with," said Burns. "And I'm really looking forward to being part of it again. For the time being though I'm putting thoughts of next year to the back of my mind. My focus is the current season, there's still a long way to go, and I'll continue to push 100 per cent for the 2003 title."

The news follows the announcement earlier today that 39-year-old Tommi Makinen will retire from World Championship rallying at the end of the season, having spent the past two years with the 555 Subaru World Rally Team.

Burns and Reid will replace Makinen and his co-driver Kaj Lindstrom, and will compete alongside Petter Solberg and Philip Mills, runners up in last year's Drivers' Championship. Viewed by many as one of the most significant transfer deals of the season, the combination of 32-year-old Burns and 28-year-old Solberg gives Subaru an extraordinary mixture of talent and experience, and re-ignites the association they had in 2001.

David Lapworth, team principal of the 555 Subaru World Rally team, commented: "I'm very excited about having Richard back on board at Subaru. He's enjoyed a great deal of success, not to mention the 2001 World Title with us, and with four seasons with the Impreza under his belt, he's sure to adapt quickly to the latest car. Richard and Petter are two of the most exciting drivers out there, and with both of them driving for Subaru I believe our line-up for 2004 is second to none."

Masaru Katsurada, president of Subaru Tecnica International, added: "I've no experience of working with Richard myself, but we were all very proud of his achievement when he won the Championship with Subaru in 2001 and I'm very happy to welcome him back to the team. Together with the latest Impreza WRC, we're expecting some good performances from him next year."