Atkinson determined to find sponsor

...to try and find the backing to re-launch his shattered career.

Chris Atkinson was left without a drive when Subaru pulled out of the world series, but a promising fifth place in Rally Ireland — the first event of the 2009 season — has created a lifeline from Citroen.

The French brand, which has dominated the WRC in recent seasons with five-time champion Sebastian Loeb, has a car for up to eight events this year if Atkinson can find some backing.

"I've got to find some sponsors. The more support I get the more events I can do," Atkinson told the Herald Sun yesterday.

"That's just the situation and the circumstances. It's frustrating and not a great situation to be in, but I think we offer a good opportunity to a sponsor. We have a blank car, a blank helmet, blank overalls and we offer a good return."

But Atkinson is realistic and, despite ranking in the top six drivers in the world, knows he faces a tough time in 2009.

"At the moment I've got nothing. I've got nothing," he said.

"I'm just coming back home to work on some sponsorship deals. I've still got the base here."

Ironically, Atkinson's Subaru setback comes at a time when he was finally getting paid to drive.

He originally used backing from a small Australian consortium to buy a place in the British-based Subaru team, which was run by the same Prodrive motorsport empire which owns Ford Performance Racing in V8 Supercar racing. The pay-to-play gamble probably cost him millions and he was finally looking to cash-in after hitting the black-ink years in 2008.

Atkinson made a strong impression on the Citroen team, running close to Loeb's times in Ireland, although two driving mistakes in icy and wet conditions, and an error in shutting the bonnet, cost him minutes and any chance of a podium place.

"I was happy with the performance. Ok, you can always do better, but in a rally like that to come away with a solid result and some good stage times was the most we could hope for," he said.

"It wasn't a normal event. It was more about survival and and to learn a new car in those conditions was tricky."

Atkinson admitted the Citroen C4 was hard to drive, but he was happy that it responded to his tuning and rewarded his commitment with good stage times.

But he has no idea if he will be back in the WRC, or when.

"People want us in the championship, which is amazing. But it's a little disappointing, after all the hard work we've done in the last few years.

"There are some opportunities, but not paid opportunities."

And Atkinson admitted he is looking at the Group N showroom class, and even driving opportunities in Australia, while he waits to see what happens with the WRC.

"I've still got eight or 10 years in rallying, so one year isn't a disaster. You don't always have a smooth career. But I can't sit out of the game.

"I think would be nice to do some tarmac rallies in Australia, just for fun. At the moment I'm not signed to anyone. I'm a free agent and I can drive what I want."