Rate it!

0 votes

Two-times world champion Marcus Gronholm has announced he will come out of retirement to enter April's Rally Portugal in a privately-entered Subaru.

"I made the decision a few days ago," the 41-year-old Finn told the sport's official website. "It's okay to come back again. Everybody is looking at me, and maybe I'm stupid, but to have fun and drive again, why not?."

Gronholm, the 2000 and 2002 world champion with Peugeot, retired at the end of the 2007 season.

The Finn will drive the latest specification Subaru prepared and entered by Prodrive, who ran the works team until the Japanese manufacturer announced in December it was pulling out due to the credit crunch.

"I will not start aiming for the win, as I want to compare my speed with the regular WRC boys after the first few stages," he said.

"The important thing is to feel confidence and pleasure, coming back to an event that I enjoy very much and know the stages quite well."

Gronholm competed in the 2007 Rally Portugal with Ford and drove the safety car there last year.

France's Sebastien Loeb, Gronholm's great rival, has won the last five championships and the first two races of the season for Citroen.

Reuters