Post rally interview - Petter Solberg

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Clear up the matter of your car's active differentials. How much of a difference do you think they made?
"None at all. Not these days. Sebastien Loeb has told me that when he got mechanical diffs on the car he went faster and the car was better with them. That's why I've been pushing to have mechanical diffs since I got the car in January."

Will Citroen give them to you?
"I hope so. I've been trying very hard. I hope I can get them for Portugal."

You missed the first round of the series in Ireland. Have you secured the finances for the rest of the season now?
"Not completely. I'm going rally by rally. It all depends on how things work and how good Citroen are at supporting the car. That's the main thing."

So will you have to make cutbacks?
"No. I'd rather carry on like we have started the season - doing events properly. We use the money on dampers and on the few team members I have. We'll do the best we can. I'm working on more sponsors now, and I have to work for the sponsors I already have, that's why being sick now isn't so great. I was supposed to me in the middle of a big promotion today."

You had a new engine in your Xsara for Cyprus. Is there anything more you can do to make it quicker, or are you on the limit of what the car is capable of now?
"I have a couple of small things planned for Portugal. We'll make another change to the dampers, and there is something else I don't want to talk about. And you never know, we might get the mechanical diffs, too."

But after that surely you'll want a newer car?
(Long pause) "No, not really. I didn't plan to get a new car this year."

What about the rumours of you looking for a C4?
"Even I don't know where that story came from; I think the only way I'd get a C4 is if they put me in the factory team. And I don't think that will happen! I don't have the money to buy one anyway - so it doesn't matter. I'm not out to destroy anything. I just want to compete and fight and hopefully when a new manufacturer is thinking of coming in, perhaps there'll be a chance for me there."

How are your plans for a manufacturer drive in 2010 going?
"We had some meetings with a few different manufacturers early this year. Now we just have to wait and see. But the [technical] rules are only now starting to come together, showing how it's going to be in the future. Many things still have to come together before they will take a decision."

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