The entry list for the ERC season-opening Rally Sierra Morena was published on Tuesday, revealing that Østberg will take part in the event in a Citroen Rally2 car.
Østberg will have a new co-driver at his side – or more precisely, a familiar one. The Norwegian veteran will once again be joined by his compatriot Torstein Eriksen.
Swede Patrik Barth had partnered with Østberg since the 2022 season. Barth was injured in a crash at Rally di Roma Capitale last summer and has since ended his career.
Eriksen previously co-drove for Østberg until 2021. Together, they won the WRC2 title in 2020, among other achievements.
Østberg, a one-time WRC rally winner, is now aiming for the ERC title, which still eludes him.
“It’s a bit of an ego thing maybe. I’ve succeeded in WRC and WRC2 and I want to have success in ERC as well,” Østberg told the ERC’s official website.
“The ERC has sort of been a bit of a curse for me. Even when I’ve known the events and felt really comfortable strange things have been happening, so I sort of need to break that ice somehow. I’ve given it a few goes but it seems I need to try again. I want to focus on (the title) because it’s a good motivation to keep fighting and keep working,” the 37-year-old Norwegian added.
A total of 82 crews have entered the opening round of the ERC, with 64 registered to score championship points.
The top category once again features a number of strong names alongside Østberg, including Efren Llarena, Andrea Mabellini, Jon Armstrong, Yoann Bonato, Robert Virves, Nikolay Gryazin, Stéphane Lefebvre, and Pepe López. Also on the entry list is former Formula One driver Jos Verstappen, whose son Max Verstappen has dominated Formula 1 in recent years.
Rally Sierra Morena will take place from 4–6 April in the region surrounding the city of Córdoba. The event will also feature two top WRC drivers, with Toyota’s Elfyn Evans and Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville both entering the rally as a test.
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