Solberg committed to WRC future

Petter Solberg has revealed that he has no intention of calling time on his World Rally Championship career despite conceding that he has no deal in place for 2012.

The 2003 world champion was speaking at the Autosport Awards event in London last night where he was one of the star guests from the WRC.

He said: “It’s my passion and I really want to be back next year. I was the last driver to beat Sebastien [Loeb], I’m younger than him so I would like to do it again. I have no deal yet but I am trying everything.”

Solberg, who turned 37 last month, placed fifth in the 2011 drivers’ standings following a somewhat frustrating campaign behind the wheel of a privateer Citroen DS3 WRC.

In recent weeks the Norwegian has been linked to drives with Ford and Volkswagen, while older brother Henning Solberg confirmed on Wales Rally GB that tentative discussions have taken place with sponsors in Norway over an all-Solberg line-up in 2012.