Patterson wins race to partner Solberg

CHRIS PATTERSON (41) will be the new partner for Norwegian driver Petter Solberg in the World Rally Championship. Early last month, Phil Mills, Solberg’s regular co-driver, stepped down from his role with the flamboyant Norwegian, who has 152 WRC starts including 13 wins and one world title.

Antrim’s Patterson, a former Production Car World Rally Champion co-driver, was selected from a shortlist of three at a test in France last Tuesday. The duo begin their partnership on next week’s round of the WRC Rally Bulgaria. This weekend, they have planned a two-day test session in the Petter Solberg World Rally Team Citroen C4 WRC in Bulgaria.

Patterson has a wealth of experience and competed at the highest level some 17 years ago. Although his world title came with Nasser Al-Attiyah in 2006, he has co-driven for a host of top drivers, including the three McRaes, the late Colin, Jimmy and Alister; reigning IRC champion Kris Meeke, Niall McShea, Gwyndaf Evans, David Higgins, Derek McGarrity, John Gilleece, Niall Maguire and Mickey McArdle.