DESPITE the dark clouds over East Lancashire - and his World Rally Championship future - Daniel Barritt managed to find time for a cycle ride in the rain this week.

The Barrowford star has just finished his second gruelling season at the top of the sport where he has co-driven for Welshman Elfyn Evans on their way to seventh in the Championship standings.

But despite a mainly encouraging season, which has included two podium finishes, the pair are not assured of a drive for next year.

M Sport, the team the pair race for, have confirmed they won’t be confirming their 2016 line-up until after a complete review of this season with Barritt and Evans both out of contract.

And the decision by Citroen to take a year out of the sport in 2016 further complicates matters.

“It is a bit unsettling,” admits the 35-year-old. “The plan for next year at the moment is very unsure, “Citroen pulling out has obviously left two drivers effectively out of work and our contract came to and end after the rally last weekend so we don’t know where will be for next year yet.

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“It is unsettling but it is part and parcel of the sport. Most of the time you find yourself on a one-year contract or if you’re lucky a two-year one so we know what to expect.

“I have already spoken to Elfyn and in an ideal world we will want to stay together but we will just have to wait and see.

“I think if we can we want to compete together in the championship next year but we will have to see which seat that is in - if we get a seat.”

Despite facing an uncertain future Barritt intends to enjoy the time off with his family over the festive period and recharge his batteries.

The Barrowford man is a keen cyclist and works closely with East Lancashire firm Beacon - who have donated him a bike - to keep his fitness levels up during the year.

Indeed, not even the pouring rain could put him off a ride on Thursday.

“I am a keen cyclist anyway and it is a good way to stay fit,” said Barritt of swapping four wheels for two.

“I think you have to be keen to go out at the moment with the weather like it is.

“I train when I can on the bike.

“The guys at Beacon have been brilliant to me and they help me out with a bike and some bits of training kit but also with advice.

“Although it is massively different there are some similarities with motorsport and cycling so it is good to have someone to chat to and say ‘what would you do in this situation if it was a bike race?’ “That is mainly physical and mental advice but also things like dietary advice as well.”

Barritt is back in East Lancashire after finishing sixth at the season ending race in Wales last weekend.

And Barritt believes the result in their home rally could have been better had it not been for bad luck.

“We ended up finishing in sixth,” he said. “We can be reasonably pleased with that.

“We had a puncture during the race so we lost quite a bit of time with that. We were hoping for a bit more but all in all it wasn’t too bad.

“It was good to back home and racing in a a rally that isn’t too far away from your house.

“It is nice to have the season finishing in this country as it is a long year on the road and it gives you a chance to come back and see the families and then obviously stay afterwards.

“It can be a tough sport with all the travelling but you know what you are getting yourself in for when you sign up.”

Evans’ team-mate Ott Tanak ended the championship in 10th place and both pairs now wait on their fate for 2016.

But Barritt remains hopeful, believing he and Evans can be pleased by their season’s work.

“I think we have had a strong year, we started off very well had a bit of a sticky patch in the middle but have come back and finished quite strongly.

“It is only our second year together in a World Rally car so you have to put it into the perspective really.

“We have had two podiums this season in Argentina and in France last month so we have shown we can compete.

I think there is one stand out team at the moment with the best drivers but after that it is all pretty close.

“The pack from third to eighth is very difficulty to separate and I think it is clear that we are in that pack now.

“Sometimes we are at the front end of it and other times we are at the back so it is just about finding that consistency.

“There has been some times where we haven’t done as well as we would of liked and other times where we didn’t have the right package for the rally. Of course there are some mistakes that we have made but overall I think we have done pretty well.”