Meeke and Andersson tipped for MINI

3rd September 2010

By Charlie Contadeli

MINI is understood to have signed Kris Meeke and P-G Andersson as its drivers for next season – but Marcus Gronholm remains a possibility, with the Finn testing the Countryman WRC in Portugal next week.

None of the drivers or Prodrive, the British team which is running MINI’s return to the WRC, would comment on the driver line-up, but Meeke and Andersson are both reckoned to have signed their contracts for 2011. Both will drive the MINI on six rounds of the WRC following an intensive test programme early next year.

Meeke is currently retained by Peugeot UK on the defence of his Intercontinental Rally Challenge title and the Northern Irishman said that was where his priority lay. “My focus remains with Peugeot and the IRC,” said Meeke, unwilling to discuss his plans any further.

Andersson said: “A full-time return to the WRC is what I have be chasing since Suzuki went at the end of 2008, it would be nice if something was sorted.”

With both the IRC champion and two-time Junior world champion believed to be under contract with MINI, it’s hard to see where Gronholm would fit into the team, but sources close to the Banbury squad said: “There would always be room for a driver like Marcus in the team.”

After initial running at Prodrive’s Warwick development circuit this week, the Countryman is expected to log its first significant test data in Portugal early next week.