PG Andersson wins in Norway
Former Suzuki world championship driver PG Andersson from Sweden drove a Skoda Fabia WRC in neighbouring Norway and won the Sigdalsrally, opening round of their national championship. He finished more than two minutes ahead of Martin Stenhorne who won the Group N category in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, while in third place was Andreas Mikkelsen in an entry-level Subaru Impreza Group N Cup Car. This was Mikkelsen's first rally in any type of Group N car, and this was a remarkable performance considering these cars do not have the full Group N engine or transmission modifications. Reigning champion Mads Ostberg made the debut in his 2008 version Subaru Impreza World Rally Car, won the first two stages then spun into a snowbank and damaged the radiator. Other retirements included Eyvind Brynildsen and Anders Grondal, both of whom went off the road. The event was held in idyllic sunny conditions, with hard packed snow and minus 10 degrees, in the hills to the west of Oslo. The second round of the Norwegian championship will be held in two weeks. Andersson said that he very much hopes he will have the chance to drive this Skoda on the forthcoming world championship Rally Norway but nothing yet has been finalised.

Burkart Moves to Suzuki
26 year old German Citroen C2 S1600 driver Aaron Burkart is to drive a Suzuki Swift S1600 in the 2009 Junior world rally championship. In 2008 he finished second in the series after a consistent season, ending up between the champion Sebastien Ogier and third placed Martin Prokop, both of whom won three of the seven rounds, forming an integral part of Citroen's remarkable 1-2-3-4 domination of the JWRC. For 2009 Citroen are not supporting the JWRC, returning after a two year gap to supporting rallying at national levels. This will Aaron's seventh season in rallying. In the first two years he was a member of the German Junior team with VW and Peugeot cars, in 2005 he moved to Citroen cars. His father Nik Burkart was an active rally driver with Opel and Nissan cars in the 90s.

Pirelli Star Driver U-Turn
FIA officials have quietly confirmed rumours that the Middle East rally championship driver Nicos Thomas from Cyprus has been denied his Star Driver award of six world championship entries in 2009 sponsored by Pirelli, and the award passed to his rival Nick Georgiou from the Lebanon. Georgiou will thereby drive one of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X cars currently being prepared in Italy, alongside Mark Tapper (New Zealand), Jon Williams (South Africa), Martin Semerad (Czech Republic) and Jarkko Nikara (Finland). The five drivers will meet for the first time at the Rally of Portugal, fourth round of the 2009 world series. Georgiou comes from a rallying family, his father Tony contested MERC events in the '80's. Although Lebanese by nationality, he was in fact born in Oman, will be 26 years old in February and started rallying in 2006.

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foto 1: PG Andersson in actiune
foto 2: Aaron si Nik Burkart
foto 3: Nick Georgiou