Italian outfit Vieffecorse is preparing for a new challenge in 2008, not only in their national rally championship but also within their asphalt event entries as the team will be providing a Citroën Xsara WRC to experienced driver Felice Re.

Alongside loyal co-driver Mara Bariani, Re will participate in the nine rounds of this year's Asphalt Rally Trophy calendar. The Xsara WRC – arriving straight out of the Citroën Sport workshops in Versailles – will be running for the first time within a European national championship. Sébastien Loeb won three world titles with this car.

Winner of the 2006 Asphalt Trophy, Felice Re is impatient to embark on the upcoming challenge: "This 2008 season will certainly be a very important step in my career. Since my debut in competition, I have always been on the lookout for a high-performance car that would allow me to express myself at the highest level."

"With Vieffecorse, I had the chance to discover a competitive and, above all, a very professional structure. I will be at the wheel of a car that has already proven itself and that will allow me, I hope, to sign good results like it was able to in the past," Re added.

The Xsara WRC, with Felice Re and Mara Bariani aboard, will be present for the opening round of the asphalt series which will take place 14 and 15 March when the 24th Rally della Lanterna gets under way near Genoa.

The Vieffecorse team will also be running four Citroën C2-R2 Max cars for Elwis Chentre, Massimo Cesa, Francesco Montagna and Stefano Benoni.