Duval to drive for Kronos Citroen in Germany?

Francois Duval could be on the verge of driving for the OMV Kronos Citroen WRT on the Rallye Deutschland next month, the tenth round in the 2007 FIA World Rally Championship.

Duval confirmed on Friday that his programme with the First Motorsport-run Skoda Fabia WRC was 'finished' and while he said the Rallye Deutschland and two events with Suzuki was a possibility for the second half of the season, he gave no details on what he was planning for Germany.

Now it appears as if he might be in negotiations to drive the #2 Kronos-run Xsara WRC, recently vacated by Daniel Carlsson, due to sponsorship problems.

According to reports by www.racingworld.it, Duval will get the drive providing he can raise a budget to pay for 10 per cent of the total costs - around Euro 25 million.

"We have most of the budget, but Duval will have to supply support and convince his sponsors to carry 10 per cent of the sum total. It is not impossible that he will drive in Germany," Kronos co-owner, Jean-Pierre Mondron told the site.

Duval of course has experience with the Xsara WRC, as he competed with the factory Citroen team back in 2005, winning the final event of the season in Australia.

Thus far this season he has done only one event, the recent Acropolis Rally of Greece. Whether or not he will end up competing in Germany remains to be seen, but if he does compete there, it is not out of the question that he might do further events with the Belgian-based outfit, which also runs a car for Manfred Stohl.