Meeke eyes up WRC promotion.

by Rob Wilkins.

Current Junior World Rally championship leader, Kris Meeke has said that he is definitely hoping to step up to the 'senior' WRC in 2006 and compete against the likes of current 'greats' Sebastien Loeb and Petter Solberg.

Although at the moment he is concentrating on getting the most out of his Citroen C2 Super 1600, the Scot, who is backed by former world rally champion, Colin McRae, added that if he does his job 'correctly' this year he hopes the rest will fall into place.

"It's a long way away and, for me, I'm concentrating on each rally I have in front of me," he told Crash.net Radio, when asked about next year. "Yes, you need to start to plan long-term as well, and be thinking about next year already, but personally I am concentrating on the JWRC at the moment.

"We have shown in Monte Carlo that we had the speed on tarmac in tricky conditions and, in Sardinia, we were leading and had the speed there also. Again, it is a case of me putting in consistently good performances this year and trying to come away at the end of the year with JWRC championship to prove to the team managers that we have, not only the speed, but the consistency to be battling in the championship situation as well.

"If do my job correctly this year, I definitely hope to be knocking on the door of World Rally cars next year. That's the goal and that's ultimately where I want to be. So the sooner better in my case, but we have to concentrate on the job at hand at the moment and hopefully we can win the championship for Citroen."

Meeke's desire though to emulate the success of his mentor McRae - and that of Britain's other world rally champion, Richard Burns - will though be tough, not least because not only are the 'works' WRC drives highly coveted, but with Citroen and Peugeot both pulling out at the end of the season, that's means there is four less opportunities.

"It definitely makes it more difficult [with Citroen and Peugeot going]," he added. "There are still the same amount of drivers there, knocking on the door, looking for seats - so, obviously, there will be more people who are disappointed than there are getting the drives.

"But, again, drivers who get themselves in the World Rally Championship are good enough to be there. I just have to prove to everyone I am good enough and that I get an opportunity over the next guy, who is looking to do it as well.

"For me, it doesn't matter whether I am British, black, blue, white or whatever colour. At end of day, I have to be good enough to be involved in the WRC and drive for manufacturer at that level. I believe I am and, if I continue to put in good performances this year, hopefully someone will recognise that and give me an opportunity."