Patrik Sandell open to further rally outings

Subaru Motorsports rallycross driver Patrik Sandell is keen to do more stage rallies in the United States.

The Swede joined the Subaru fold for its Global Rallycross, and later Americas Rallycross and Nitro Rallycross programmes, but took part in three American Rally Association championship rounds last year in place of Travis Pastrana. He won on each of those three outings.

Sandell has been confirmed for the 2019 ARX season alongside Chris Atkinson and Scott Speed, but when asked if more rallies could also be on the horizon, Sandell admitted that no decision has been made.

“It’s not decided yet so I don’t know,” he told DominikWilde.com. “It’s kind of up to Travis because he is the other full-time driver – last year we filled in when he was not able to do them and it hasn’t been discussed yet but it’s coming up soon so we should have some news then.”

For 2019 ARX will run six rounds between June and October while the ARA National schedule consists of nine events (eight of which will be contested by Subaru) between January and October. There are no clashes between the two series, at least this year, leaving open the possibility of Sandell competing full-time in both championships in the future.

“I was born a rally driver so I will always be a rally driver,” he said. “If the opportunity comes with Subaru, if they ask me if I want to do a full championship and it works with the rallycross programme, I would love to do it.”

“I’m in the hands of Subaru and I do whatever they want me to do,” he added. “I’ve proved I can still do stage rally so we’ll see if that opportunity comes again.”

Before taking his career Stateside, Sandell was climbing the World Rally Championship ladder. He claimed the 2006 Junior world title in 2006 and has also taken class victories in S-WRC and P-WRC (now WRC2 and WRC3 respectively).

Sandell switched codes to rallycross in 2013 and took three GRC wins in Ford machinery before signing for Subaru in 2017.