Conrad Rautenbach is looking forward to the second part of the season - and he is also hoping to stick with the Citroen C4 WRC in 2009 too.

by Rob Wilkins

Citroen privateer Conrad Rautenbach has revealed that he would like to continue competing in the FIA World Rally Championship with his PH Sport-run C4 WRC car next season.

Rautenbach made the step up to the top level this year in the WRC - and while the first half of the year had plenty of ups and downs, the Zimbabwean has been happy with the progress he has made.

Speaking exclusively to Crash.net Radio this week, the 2007 FIA African Rally champion added that he would like to be able to get some top-five finishes in the second half of the year, to add to the points finishes he managed in Turkey and Argentina, when he finished eighth and fourth respectively.

"The beginning of the year was quite tough. But it is getting better and better. I am learning the team and they are learning me a bit too. It is always difficult to begin with. But I have a really good relationship with Citroen and I am hoping to work with them next year," he noted.

"However there are other teams. We will have to wait and see. We are still discussing. It depends on how the next few events go as well.

"We want to try and score some more points finishes and hopefully maybe get some top fives on some events [in the second part of the year]. We are going to try and pick up the pace a little bit. We were taking it a bit easy in the beginning of the year. We want to go quicker.

"The car is capable and Urmo [Aava] has proved that. He is doing really well [in the other C4 WRC run by PH Sport]. I want to up the pace. But most importantly I want to get to the finish too. We want to finish as many rallies as possible. Obviously if I am feeling comfortable I will try and go quicker.

"Overall we want to try and get in the top ten in the points overall. That would be great. Maybe even top eight - but that is probably pushing it a bit. Top ten in the points overall, more good finishes and hopefully some good times on the stages too - that's my aims."

Asked to assess his form in the first part of the year, Conrad noted that while it hasn't been easy he has enjoyed stepping up from the Juniors, where he competed in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007.

"It has been fantastic. It is a great opportunity for me. Obviously it is a huge learning curve with a WRC car. It takes time to find out what they can do and what they are capable off. We haven't had that much testing but we have been able to do all of the events this year, which is great," he continued.

"We are trying to treat it as a learning year. But it is quite a big step. We have made a few mistakes. However I have enjoyed it.

"When we have been able to stay out of trouble we have been able to do okay. We have had a few problems. But like I said it is getting better and better. I am getting more comfortable with the car.

"I am really looking forward to the second half of the season because we have done most of the rallies before in the Juniors - and so we have the pace-notes already. That should be a big help. I have had a nice break now and I can't wait to get going again."

Before the second half of the season kicks off though, Rautenbach will be in action on the South Estonian Rally from July 18-19 and that should set him up well for the Neste Oil Rally Finland in two weeks time.

"Finland is the next WRC event, but we are doing a small rally in Estonia first with Urmo. It is like a 'test' before Finland. That should be really helpful because it is the first time we will have been able to really test the car outside of a WRC rally. It will be good for us and we have a test planned for Germany too. We have got quite a bit of testing coming up and the fact I know the rallies is great. I'm really looking forward to it," he summed-up.

TO HEAR THE INTERVIEW IN FULL WITH CONRAD RAUTENBACH: CLICK HERE