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Co-driver switch for Østberg

Norway's Mads Østberg will start next week's Neste Rally Finland [27 - 30 july] alongside a new co-driver after parting company with Ola Fløene for "sporting reasons".

Østberg will be co-driven by Torstein Eriksen in Finland, having called time on his 18-month partnership with Fløene that began at Rallye Monte-Carlo in 2016.

Team principal Morten Østberg said: "This is a team decision. We have seen over a period that there have been challenges in the relation between Mads and Ola. In the end, we must think about what is best for the team. On high performance level, everything has to run smooth."

Eriksen is part of the Østberg family's Adapta Motorsport team and he will share co-driving duties on the next few WRC rallies with another team member Patrik Barth until a permanent replacement is found.

"We know both of them well, and we are certain that they have the experience and skill to perform well and fill the role," Østberg said.

Fløene, who previously partnered Andreas Mikkelsen at Volkswagen, will continue to work for Adapta Motorsport on other projects.

Zdroj: wrc.com