P-WRC Champion gunning for the top

Double P-WRC Champion Armindo Araujo has said that he could have his 2011 campaign sorted out as early as next month.

“My goal is to keep driving in the World Rally Championship with a World Rally Car and that is what I am working towards.”

The Portuguese driver, who claimed his second successive P-WRC title on the season-ending Wales Rally GB, has said that he is closing on a deal to drive one of the new 1600cc turbo cars next year. He has said that he would like to do all the rounds of next year’s calendar, but budgetary constraints may hamper him from doing this.

“The plan is to do all the rounds but obviously this depends on the budget. If I can’t do all the rounds, I will do as many as I can.”

He added that he has completed all his sponsor meetings, and that he is ever confident. He also added that all of his sponsors, including major sponsor TMN, a telecommunications company, are all staying with him, and that some new ones are coming on board.

“We are very close with one team to race in the WRC and we hope to have a decision early in January. We have done all our meetings with the sponsors and I am very confident although I am still working very hard.” he said.

However, the Portuguese is keeping details secret, but he has said that he is talking to Citroen and Ford, as well as MINI.

We’re all working very hard indeed, and we’re talking to all the manufacturers, not just MINI. I’m quite confident that we will get something, but nothing is actually signed yet.”

Araujo also claimed the WRC.com ‘Personality Of The Year’ award by winning 47% of the final votes. He says that winning the award will, hopefully, boost his standing with companies in his native Portugal.

“I am very motivated to be in the WRC and this award shows my image in Portugal is very strong and hopefully it will make other companies want to support me.”