Duval is back

Francois Duval is to come out of retirement to drive for the Stobart M-Sport Ford Team on next month's Rally Deutchland.

Duval, the only driver ever to trouble Sebastian Loeb on the event, called time on his WRC career in early April. Duval competed in the event seven times, finishing second to Loeb three times and he lead the event in 2007, until a few spins let Loeb through.


“It is of great credit to Malcolm [Wilson] and Christian [Loriaux] at M-Sport that I have been given this opportunity to drive for the Stobart M-Sport Ford Rally Team once again. I hope that I will have a good test in the weeks before Germany and that I will be able to get a good result for the team. Germany is a very nice rally and each year I have competed I’ve had very good results so I am confident I will be able to do well again this year.” he said.

Malcolm Wilson welcomed Duval back with open arms: “I’m delighted to see Francois back behind the wheel of a Ford Focus RS WRC again. He will strengthen the Stobart M-Sport Ford Rally Team at a crucial part of the season so we are very much looking forward to welcoming him on board. We really enjoyed working with Francois in 2008 and I have little doubt that he will continue to impress us when he joins us in Germany next month.”

Duval will drive Henning Solberg's usual car, the same car P-G Andersson drove to an impressive seventh in Rally Bulgaria last weekend. Henning will use his tarmac-spec Fiesta S2000.