Solberg happy with new codriver

Petter Solberg is targeting a podium finish on this week’s Rally Bulgaria - despite admitting his new co-driver Chris Patterson couldn’t have had a more difficult event to make his debut.

Solberg reported a positive two-day test ahead of the seventh round of this year’s World Rally Championship, which starts in Borovets on Friday, and then set the fastest time at this morning’s shakedown stage. Patterson replaces Phil Mills, Solberg’s former co-driver who stepped down from the role last month.

“Everything is working really well with Chris,” said Solberg. “I’m very happy and feeling good for the rally. The test went really well, we worked on the notes and on the set-up for the car. There’s no doubt, this is not an easy rally to come and co-drive for the first time, it’s not like Catalunya or somewhere like that where the notes are quite straightforward. Here we have lots of long corners and hidden apexes and things like that, there are a lot of details in the notes. But I’m confident everything will be good; Chris is calm and relaxed in the car, it’s good.”

Patterson was equally happy after his first shakedown run in the Petter Solberg World Rally Team C4 WRC.

“It was great,” he said. “I wouldn’t say this is going in at the deep end or anything like that. Yes, there’s a lot of detail in Petter’s notes and there’s a lot of detail from these roads, but the key to getting this right is in the delivery of the notes, that’s what it’s all about. The recce went really well and we had some good fun on the road section. I’ve had a lot of practice and I feel ready for the rally.”