2009 World Rally Championship

Armindo Araújo is the 2009 FIA Production Car World Rally Champion
Nasser Al-Attiyah reinstated in Acropolis Rally after appeal, but penalty drops him out of the points

Posted: October 21, 2009 11:25 AM

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P-WRC FIA Int Court of Appeal ruling 12 10 09

WRC stars help raise record amount for RBF

Posted: October 21, 2009 11:22 AM

An unprecedented number of World Rally Championship stars turned out at the Rallye de España to support the Richard Burns Foundation and Michael Park Fund at the annual Rally Travel auction which raised over 4000 Euros for the charity, breaking the record set at last year’s event.

All of the teams generously donated signed rally memorabilia and other items to the auction as well as making their drivers available to come along and mix with the crowd of over 300 fans who turned out to bid.

Drivers including reigning WRC champ Sebastien Loeb, current Championship leader Mikko Hirvonen and fans’ favourite Petter Solberg attended the event in Salou, which has been benefiting the Richard Burns Foundation since 2006.

One of the biggest sums bid on the night was for Stobart VK M-Sport Ford driver Henning Solberg’s front wing, used at this year’s Rally Australia. Eventually reaching over 300 Euros, the signed wing went to a bidder from Sweden who was among international fans from as far afield as China and South Africa at the auction.

Among the other items attracting high bids were Petter Solberg’s signed boots and the gloves worn by BP Ford Abu Dhabi’s Jari-Matti Latvala on his way to victory at this year’s Rally d’Italia Sardegna.

The event was hosted by WRC TV’s Julian Porter, with the drivers pitching in to help move the bidding along and to answer questions from the crowd, who each made a donation to the charity in order to be there.

David Hutchison from auction organisers Rally Travel said:
“There is so much bad news in motorsport at the moment that it is great to have an event like this that all the drivers turn out for and are so willing to contribute their time to. All of the top guys were there and prepared to give up their time for nothing so it’s a real feel good story. Michael Park was a fans’ favourite when we first started running this event back in 2003 so it seemed natural to form a link with this charity.”

Peter Martin, Richard Burns Foundation administrator said:
“We are very grateful for the continued support of Rally Travel in organising this fantastic event each year. It is overwhelming to see the number of rally fans who have turned out and contributed to the total raised. It speaks volumes for the high esteem in which both Richard Burns and Michael Park were held in the rally community that all of the leading drivers were prepared to take the time to be at the event just hours before the rally started and that the teams were so generous in donating items for the auction.”

Onderwerp: Stéphane Prévot new codriver for Russian Citroen Jr driver Evgény Novikov

Posted: August 7, 2009 9:14 AM

Belgian codriver Stephane Prevot is to partner Russian Citroen Junior team driver Evgeniy Novikov for the rest of the season.
They are to start together on the Barum Rally, the IRC event which Novikov will contest privately in a Skoda Fabia S2000,
then tackle the Spain and GB world championship events with Citroen. The 19 year old Russian Junior driver is nominated this season as the fastest young driver in the WRC.

Prevot competed on six rallies with Citroen in 2005 with Francois Duval, parting company after an accident in Cyprus that year.

He will replace Dale Moscatt, which leaves Australia on the eve of their world championship event with no competitor in the WRC this year.

Novikov had not planned to compete in Australia, however. Prévot was codriving the last two seasons for Australian driver Chris Atkinson.

Ford & Citroen extends commitment to WRC to 2011

Posted: July 29, 2009 10:01 PM

FORD EXTENDS WRC PARTICIPATION IN NEW TWO-YEAR AGREEMENT WITH M-SPORT
Ford of Europe today confirmed its commitment to the FIA World Rally Championship by announcing its continued participation for the next two seasons. Ford, together with long-term partner M-Sport, will continue its successful WRC programme in 2010 and 2011.

The record-breaking Ford Focus RS World Rally Car, which claimed the manufacturers' world title in 2006 and 2007, will again contest the championship next season. In 2011 the team will switch to the all-new Ford Fiesta S2000, based on the hugely successful Fiesta road car which is one of Europe's top-selling vehicles.

The team will retain its current driver line-up of Mikko Hirvonen / Jarmo Lehtinen and Jari-Matti Latvala / Miikka Anttila. Senior partners BP and Abu Dhabi will also continue their support.

Ford has a long and successful heritage in world rallying. With 71 world rally wins in WRC and a record-breaking 115 consecutive points finishes, Ford is one of the most successful and formidable teams in the series. The squad goes into this week's Rally Finland with Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen heading the drivers' points table with four rounds remaining.

Ford of Europe chairman and CEO John Fleming highlighted the strong will to continue from both parties. "We've worked closely with Malcolm and M-Sport to reach this point, and today's announcement is important because it emphasises the commitment that we share about maintaining Ford's prominent position in motorsport globally. This renewed commitment builds on the excellent relationship that we have with Malcolm and his dedicated team," he said.

"The WRC is motorsport's toughest competition for production-based vehicles and we're delighted to be extending our participation. I believe that our successes in WRC and other motorsport disciplines give Ford employees the opportunity to be proud of the company for which they work. I hope they will share my pride at seeing Ford's vehicles on the winners' podium around the world for years to come," he added.

Ian Slater, Ford of Europe's Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs, said: "Everyone at Ford is proud of our long heritage in Motorsport, and proud of the successes we've enjoyed in WRC, particularly our world titles in 2006 and 2007, and this new commitment with Malcolm to WRC shows that we are hungry for more success.

"Just as the World Rally Championship is important to Ford, we understand also how important Ford's continuing participation is to the WRC itself. Everyone is working hard to make international rallying more attractive for manufacturers, the news media, and the viewing public, and we're confident that this will increase the benefits to Ford, and draw in more competitors in the coming years," he added.

Gerard Quinn, Senior Manager, Motorsport, at Ford of Europe commented on today's announcement. "Ford participation in WRC is targeted to display the attributes of our road products and to send a clear message to the public from a hugely competitive environment. The WRC is a global showroom and our continuation in the championship is not only beneficial for Ford, but also for the sport as a whole.

"The WRC has made significant progress recently, particularly in reducing the costs of participation and confirming new long-term technical regulations to bring much-needed stability for manufacturers. We believe that with the help of these changes the championship will benefit from greater global media exposure as it goes from strength to strength, and lead to other manufacturers following our path over the next two years," said Quinn. M-Sport managing director and team director Malcolm Wilson said: "I'm delighted to continue our partnership with Ford. The announcement is a further vote of confidence in M-Sport and displays the importance in which Ford holds the WRC.

"We have a young and dynamic driver line-up which continues to gain in experience and maturity. The Focus RS WRC has displayed its speed, strength and reliability time and again, while we have the infrastructure in place at our Dovenby Hall base to develop, with Ford's support, the Fiesta S2000 into a car capable of taking the fight to our rivals in 2011. We're not in WRC just for fun, we're there to challenge for titles and we'll do everything to win. "Throughout 2010 and 2011 we expect to maintain Ford's significant presence in the WRC service park, both through the official 'works' team and via our customers," added Wilson.

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Citroën to continue its participation in the FIA World Rally Championship
Having racked up an impressive total of four manufacturers’ titles, five drivers’ world championships and 58 victories, Citroën will continue its participation in the FIA World Rally Championship for the 2010 and 2011 seasons.

Citroën, which is currently leading the manufacturers’ standings, today confirms that it will enter the FIA World Rally Championship for the next two years (2010 and 2011).

World rallying forms an inherent part of Citroën’s DNA, allowing the company to showcase its principle of Creative Technology. The team’s crews have demonstrated Citroën’s performance, quality and desire to succeed all over the roads and special stages of the world.

Olivier Quesnel, the director of Citroën Racing, said: “In the current tricky financial climate, it is important to keep on expressing ourselves through motorsport and through the victories of our teams and cars. The FIA World Rally Championship, where the costs remain contained, is an excellent promotional vehicle. Citroen Racing is delighted by the trust that has been placed in us by Citroën’s board of directors and the PSA Group.”

He added: “We are currently working with our existing driver line-up to renew their contracts. I am confident that Sebastien Loeb and Dani Sordo will be continuing their adventure with Citroën Racing into the future.”

Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin complete epic Alpine challenge.

Posted: July 21, 2009 7:50 PM

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford drivers Matthew Wilson and Scott Martin have completed their ambitious Alpine bike trek, finishing the 740 kilometre Raid des Alpes in Antibes six days after starting the trip on the shores of Lake Geneva.  

The FIA World Rally Championship stars, along with trainer Barry Johnson, had planned the testing challenge to coincide with a break in the WRC calendar.  With cycling making up a significant proportion of the crew's fitness training they were well prepared for the demands of the ride, but it still proved to be their toughest to date.  

Last year Wilson and Martin cycled from Land’s End to John o'Groats but the pair insist that their latest challenge, which saw them cycle over the Col de Bonette, the highest road in Europe, was even harder.  

Leaving from Thonon les Bains last week, the riders faced 27 of the highest climbs in the French Alps, giving them a taste of the stages that the Tour de France competitors will face when they reach the region next week.  The duo took inspiration from the Tour riders after watching the classic event kick off in Monaco two days before their own challenge began.  

Cycling up to 150 kilometres a day to altitudes of over 2000 metres, the team often faced several testing ascents each day, battling against high temperatures, before reaching the Mediterranean resort of Antibes on the final leg.

  The team received support from local business J. Edgar and Son. The new and used car company provided the motor home which was used by Wilson and Martin’s support crew.  

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford driver Matthew Wilson said:
"It was an amazing challenge, but really tough; twice as hard as anything we've done before. We had no punctures and no problems with the bikes and we did it in the time that we wanted so I'm really pleased. Some of the climbs were very hard. You can be climbing one col for three hours to reach the top and that's really difficult, but we made it to where we planned to stop each night. It was a great challenge for us and I really enjoyed it."  

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford co-driver Scott Martin said:
"It was a really good trip and something that we’ve never tackled before.  We had trained hard and a lot of preparation had gone into the ride but there’s nothing that can prepare you for the heat and the high altitude that we faced.  It was really important to me that we crossed the Col de Bonette, which is the highest road in Europe, and it felt like a major achievement to complete it.  I’ll definitely be watching the Tour de France with interest as they reach the Alps and cover some of the same roads.”

MALCOM WILSON RECOGNISED IN THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY HONOURS LIST

Posted: June 13, 2009 10:59 PM

Ford's world rally team director Malcolm Wilson was today named in The Queen's Birthday Honours list. Wilson was admitted to the Order of the British Empire after being awarded an OBE (Officer of the British Empire) for his services to British motorsport.

The award is one of the highest achievements bestowed by the British monarchy and recognises distinguished achievement in any field at national or regional level. Wilson will receive his honour from Her Majesty The Queen at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace in London later this year.

Wilson, director of the BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team, led Ford to the manufacturers' world title in the FIA World Rally Championship in 2006 and 2007.

Wilson joins other British motorsport greats including Sir Jackie Stewart (GBE), Colin McRae (MBE), John Surtees (OBE), Nigel Mansell (OBE) and Damon Hill (OBE) in being granted an Order of the British Empire.

"It's a great honour, and a huge surprise, to be recognised in this way by Her Majesty The Queen," said 53-year-old Wilson, managing director of Cumbrian-based M-Sport, the preparation business which runs Ford's world rally programme.

"Motorsport, and particularly rallying, has been my life. I feel so proud to have delivered two world championship titles for Ford, and equally as proud to have done so from M-Sport's base at my home town in Cockermouth, Cumbria. I feel very humble that our achievements have been recognised in this way.
"But this is not just an honour for me. It's also a reward for all the employees at M-Sport who work so hard to keep Ford at the forefront of the FIA World Rally Championship. They should also feel great pride at this award," said Wilson.
Ian Slater, Vice President, Communications and Public Affairs for Ford of Europe, paid tribute to Wilson. "I'm delighted that Malcolm's achievements have been recognised today in The Queen's Birthday Honours List. He joins a very select group of British motorsport heroes in being honoured in this way.

"He sits alongside great world champions of the calibre of Sir Jackie Stewart, who won three drivers' world titles in Formula 1, and John Surtees, the only man to win world titles on both two and four wheels.

"To rank with such household names is a testament to his dedication, sheer hard work and visible enthusiasm for the sport he loves. This is a proud day for all of us, and especially for Malcolm's family and all the committed people at our M-Sport partners in the FIA World Rally Championship. So, on behalf of everyone at Ford Motor Company, I extend my warm congratulations on this honour," said Slater.

Wilson is one of British motorsport's most successful names with more than 30 years' experience in rallying – over 20 of those with Ford.

He rose to fame as a driver in the 1970s, winning two national titles in Britain in Ford Escorts. He went onto drive for three factory teams in the world championship and spent several years as Ford's chief test driver, developing new rally cars. In 1994 he ended his driving career by achieving a career-long aim of winning the British Rally Championship for Ford.

Having already formed his own preparation company, Wilson was appointed to run Ford's official world championship rally programme in 1997. Under his leadership, Ford has twice won the manufacturers' title with the record-breaking Focus RS World Rally Car and finished second on six occasions.
Since M-Sport was awarded the Ford contract, the team has won 38 world rallies and scored points on 113 consecutive world rallies – a record in itself.

Throughout his career Wilson has been supported by his wife, Elaine, also an M-Sport director. Their son, Matthew, is one of Britain's brightest motorsport prospects and is himself a full-time driver in the world championship.

GERARD QUINN TAKES OVER RESPONSIBILITY FOR MOTORSPORT IN FORD OF EUROPE

Posted: June 2, 2009 9:33 AM

Ford of Europe is announcing that Gerard Quinn is appointed Senior Manager, Motorsport, replacing Mark Deans who has elected to retire from Ford at the end of this month.

In his new position, Quinn will work alongside Malcolm Wilson, BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team Director and owner of M-Sport, Ford of Europe's partner for its main motorsport activity, the FIA World Rally Championship. Quinn will be the focal point through which Ford will continue to support M-Sport and drive future success for the BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team, most obviously via close ties with the company's global Product Development and engineering disciplines.

Quinn will also be responsible for a small team of marketing professionals and product development engineers to develop further the company's motorsport strategy in Europe. He will work closely with the Communications and Public Affairs team, as well as other key Ford of Europe staffs.

A self-confessed 'petrol head', 45-year-old Gerard Quinn joined Ford in 1988 at the company's Dagenham plant in Britain, and progressed through a number of management positions before being appointed to his previous role of Dealer Operations Manager for Ford of Ireland in June 2008.

Quinn has gained experience on Ford's motorsport activities in his previous roles and, before joining Ford, he was already very active in the organisational side of grass roots motorsport in his home town through the Cork Motor Club.

Between 2005 and 2008, he was directly responsible for the commercial and contractual aspects of Ford of Europe's motorsport strategy, including the relationship with M-Sport. He also had a significant involvement in Ford of Europe's performance vehicle business, notably the development programme for the new Ford Focus RS.

In his new role, Quinn will report directly to Ingvar Sviggum, Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Service and to Ian Slater, Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs for Ford of Europe.

"We're very pleased to have Gerard Quinn leading our Motorsport programmes in Europe," said Ingvar Sviggum, Ford of Europe's Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Service. "He has a wealth of experience inside Ford having worked his way along the ladder of opportunity to become a valued member of the management team. He knows Malcolm Wilson and the M-Sport team well, and his understanding of both the motorsport business and our corporate strategy is precisely what we need during this difficult economic period."

Deans Retires
Mark Deans (52), who has been Ford of Europe's Motorsport Director since November 2007, has elected to retire from the company to pursue personal projects.

"Mark has been a great asset to the Ford Motorsport management team over the last 18 months," said Sviggum. "He has helped to keep our WRC activity running through the industry crisis, and delivered an impressive one-two victory with the team in the most recent rally in Sardinia. We're grateful for Mark's commitment and dedication to the company during his 29-year career with Ford, and we wish him and his family all the very best for the future."

Next stop: Greece
The next round of the FIA World Rally Championship is the Acropolis Rally in Greece on June 11 - 14.

Gerard Quinn is looking forward to his first event as head of the team, but is no stranger to the WRC: "I'm excited at the prospect of joining the M-Sport team in Greece. I have a good relationship already with Malcolm Wilson, and I'll be looking forward to seeing the drivers again. We're relying on them to deliver more success there with the Focus RS WRC!"

Sébastien Loeb awarded a knighthood 'Légion d’honneur'

Posted: May 27, 2009 8:52 PM

Sébastien Loeb was today awarded a knighthood, receiving the ‘Légion d’honneur’ at the Elysée Palace in Paris from Nicolas Sarkozy, the President of the French Republic.

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The next Lewis Hamilton of the WRC?

Posted: May 18, 2009 3:07 PM

A 13 year old Indonesian schoolboy, called Sean Galael, is attracting the attention of the rallying world, after winning the first two rounds of the KFC Junior Rally Sprint in Indonesia.

Sean competed in a Prodrive Impreza Group N rally car, the same specification as is used in the Production World Rally Championship.

Sean is already very familiar with the high-powered Impreza rally car, but is more accustomed to sitting in the co-driver’s seat. Last year, aged just 12, he co-drove Prodrive’s own works test driver, Dave Maslen, and former Australian rally champion, Cody Crocker, to victories in the Indonesian Rally Championship. This year, he will once again co-drive the Serge Motorsport Prodrive Impreza N14 in the Indonesian series. Unfortunately for Sean, he is too young to compete as a driver.

Sean got into rally driving through his father, Ricardo, who won the Indonesian Championship in 2006.

FORD FOCUS RS WRC PASSES SEVERE CRASH TEST

Posted: May 11, 2009 11:05 AM

Continued measures to improve safety by further strengthening the Ford Focus RS World Rally Car enabled Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila to escape injury during their violent crash on last month's Rally of Portugal, accident investigators have revealed in a comprehensive internal report.

BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team's report into the incident on the first day of the rally highlights how the car’s cutting edge design features saved the driver and co-driver from serious injury. Such is the strength of the Focus RS WRC that despite plunging around 200 metres down a hillside, many areas of the car's bodyshell can be rebuilt and used in further rallies later in the year.

Latvala’s accident on the fourth round of the FIA World Rally Championship was one of the most dramatic in the sport's history. Footage of the crash has been watched more than 450,000 times on the YouTube video sharing website.

The report was prepared by Latvala's engineer, Tim Jackson, who works for British-based M-Sport, Ford's long-term WRC partner. He said:"As horrific as this incident appears from the video recordings, the safety structure of the car performed excellently and precisely as designed in protecting the driver and co-driver. The use of relatively ductile materials such as T45 Steel for the roll-cage meant that the steady – but limited – deformation of the roll cage structure not only absorbed sufficient energy to protect the occupants, but also that the many undamaged areas of the body shell can be rebuilt and used again.

"The introduction of increased safety measures – both by regulation and design choice – have proved to be beneficial in the incident, meaning that the driver and co-driver were both able to walk away uninjured," added Jackson.

Data showed that the accident, 9.1km after the start of the fourth speed test, began when 24-year-old Latvala began to brake on a crest which hid a left-hand corner. "As the car left the crest it started to become 'light', meaning that both the braking and steering actions were not as effective due to the reduced loading on the tyres," explained Jackson.

First the rear and then the front of the Focus RS WRC hit the bank on the inside of the corner, flinging the car over a roadside barrier and down the hillside, gathering momentum as it barrel-rolled. The bonnet and tailgate became detached while Latvala's door opened and was crushed during the rolls.

"However, the door hinges and locking mechanism are still in good condition. Both these are, by regulation, standard production car items," wrote Jackson.

The car stopped rolling when it hit a tree, without which it is expected the accident would have continued for a further 50 metres. The incident lasted 19.8 seconds with the car completing 12 full rolls. Despite the violence of the crash, the report reveals that the shape of the cockpit area was 'maintained excellently'.

"Basic measurements show that there was no deformation into the cockpit of the main roll hoop joint. The A-pillar and door bar roll cage structures remained virtually undamaged on both sides of the car with only very small deformations evident. The main hoop tube, located close to the B-pillar buckled slightly on the driver' side whilst the C-pillar body panel structure, unsupported by roll cage tubes, flattened to a shallower angle. However, none of these was sufficient to pose a danger to the crew," said Jackson.

Both Latvala and Anttila were using the FIA safety seat, introduced into the Focus RS WRC in October 2008 and mounted into the car using M-Sport designed aluminium brackets which exceed minimum safety requirements. "Following the incident the seats and mounting brackets on both driver and co-driver sides are in visibly in 'like new' condition showing that these extra safety measurements were beneficial," said the report.

In addition to its immensely strong roll cage, the Focus RS WRC is equipped with a raft of safety features including built-in fire extinguishers and rupture proof fuel tanks. More recent safety enhancements include the use of door-mounted safety foam to add protection in side impacts.

Each Focus RS WRC is now tracked with GPS, allowing emergency services precisely to pin-point crash locations and respond faster. Both driver and co-driver wear flame retardant overalls, gloves and hoods. F1-style Head And Neck Safety (HANS) devices are now also mandatory, reducing the risk of whiplash injury.

"We are constantly striving to find ways to make the sport safer and we have made significant progress in recent years," said BP Ford Abu Dhabi technical director Christian Loriaux. "One area in particular we have concentrated on is side impact protection. We've moved the driver and co-driver's seats closer to the centre of the car, away from the doors, and we've added an extra crash beam inside both sills. There is no doubt that this has made a huge difference to occupant safety."

Ford's Focus RS WRC made its world championship debut on the 1999 Monte Carlo Rally and claimed a maiden win on the legendary Safari Rally that same year. Since then, the Focus has won a further 35 world rallies and scored points on a record-breaking 112 consecutive WRC events. The car claimed back-to-back manufacturers' world titles for Ford in 2006 and 2007.

On the road, Ford's new Focus RS performance model takes its design cues from the world rally car and like all models in the Focus range, is equipped with cutting edge passive and active safety systems.

Each production Focus features Ford's Intelligent Protection System, with no fewer than six airbags. Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) with traction control is available, as are ABS and Emergency Brake Assist.

The structure of the Focus road car provides one of the most advanced passenger safety systems in its class, putting its rigidity to work with carefully constructed crush zones to route energy away from the occupants in the event of a crash and protect them from objects intruding into the survival area. Focus is constructed from variable-gauge laser-welded panels of dual plasma and high strength steel. Both the occupant cell and surrounding envelope of energy absorbing crush zones have been rigorously tested in virtual and physical form.

Focus achieves a five-star EuroNCAP rating for passenger safety and customers can specify a wide range of optional features that further contribute to the standard safety package, including a halogen-based AFS headlamp system, Ford's Quickclear heated front screen, and High Intensity Discharge xenon headlights which deliver almost twice the light intensity of conventional headlamps.

Also, when Ford's Adaptive Front lighting System (AFS) or HID Bi-Xenon headlights are specified, new Focus is fitted with bright and distinctive LED rear lights. In addition, Focus features an available tyre pressure Deflation Detection System (DDS) and all models come fitted with an automatic hazard warning light activation system which warns following drivers of emergency braking manoeuvres.

Ford of Europe motorsport director Mark Deans says: "The Focus RS WRC is a tremendously strong and robust vehicle and these qualities are reflected across the entire Focus family. Motorsport is all about pushing boundaries and the World Rally Championship is the ultimate proving ground for safety technology. The learning that comes from these vehicles and the feedback our engineers get from the cars is invaluable when developing the next generation of Fords for our customers."

Munchi’s Return for 2009 FIA World Rally Championship

Posted: February 25, 2009 4:20 PM

The Munchi’s Ford World Rally Team has confirmed it will contest the 2009 FIA World Rally Championship after registering a Manufacturer Team.  

The Argentine squad will tackle eight rounds, starting from Cyprus and finishing in Australia, and will be the fifth team to register for the 2009 series.  The FIA recently relaxed the entry criteria for Manufacturer Teams enabling single car teams competing on a minimum of eight events to enter the race for the 2009 manufacturer crown.  

Federico Villagra and Jorge Perez Companc will be the registered crew on all eight events, and may be joined by additional drivers during the year on a round-by-round basis.  Lead driver Villagra, from Cordoba, is the current Argentine Rally Champion.  He competed on 10 WRC events in 2008, with a highest finish of sixth on both Argentina and Jordan.  He scored nine driver points in total during the season.  

It will be the third year of Manufacturer Team participation for Munchi’s, which will once again compete using the championship-winning Ford Focus RS WRC run by M-Sport.  

Munchi’s enjoyed an eventful 10 round campaign in the 2008 WRC.  Original lead driver Luis Perez Companc retired after Rally Finland last year, however Villagra – joined by guest drivers including Henning Solberg and Barry Clark – went on to enjoy a number of successful outings over the remainder of the season.  

In 2009 Munchi’s will aim to consistently score manufacturer points throughout its WRC campaign.

Petter Solberg to contest remaining 11 Rounds in Citroen Xsara WRC

Posted: February 10, 2009 2:03 PM

Details:

Petter Solberg

Petter Solberg's Citroen Xsara WRC
Photo: pettersolberg.com

ISC to become World Rally Championship Promoter

Posted: January 29, 2009 11:12 AM

ISC to become World Rally Championship Promoter

Stobart Relishing 2009 FIA World Rally Championship Challenge

Posted: January 20, 2009 10:54 AM

The world’s leading private rally team Stobart VK M-Sport Ford is looking forward to tackling another full campaign in the FIA World Rally Championship in 2009.  

Kicking off its season at Rally Ireland over January 30-February 1, the Cumbria-based squad will field three cars in the globe’s premier rally series, with the team’s Ford Focus WRCs prepared at M-Sport in Cumbria.  

Drivers Matthew Wilson and Henning Solberg will once again return to the team to contest all 12 rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship calendar.  Estonian pilot Urmo Aava and co-driver Kuldar Sikk have been added to the roster, with the duo scheduled to compete in eight rounds of the championship.  The nominated points scorers for the squad will be selected on a round-by-round basis.  

The team will continue to receive backing from major sponsor Stobart Group, the UK’s leading multimodal logistics solutions provider.  The Cumbrian company’s unstinting support for its rally program was recently rewarded at the prestigious Motorsport Industry Association Awards when Stobart Motorsport claimed Rally Business of the Year.  It received the award in recognition of successfully maximising its investment in the FIA World Rally Championship.  Despite having a budget which is a fraction of the manufacturer-backed teams, it has successfully established itself as an outstanding performer both on and off the stages and has become a huge fan favourite across the world.  

In 2008 the Stobart squad finished fourth in the Manufacturer Championship, and with four of its star drivers inside the top 10 in the Drivers’ Championship standings.   The team finished the season on a high at Wales Rally GB when it was joined by global motorcycling superstar Valentino Rossi to celebrate its 50th outing in the World Championship.  

The team’s iconic livery was also on display at the Race of Champions when two of its Stobart Ford Focus RS world rally cars were driven by the best-of-the-best at Wembley Stadium in England.  

Stobart Group CEO Andrew Tinkler said:
“We are delighted to be involved in the World Rally Championship once again and are very excited about the team’s prospects in 2009.  Stobart Group remains committed to its motorsport programme due to the fantastic return it receives in terms of global media exposure and business-to-business opportunities.  We hope to see the Stobart drivers challenging for honours throughout the championship’s 12 rounds and continuing to fly the flag for the team at the premier level of rallying.”  

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Team Principal Malcolm Wilson said:
“It is shaping up to be a very exciting season for the team.  The driver line-up of Matthew, Henning and now Urmo Aava has the potential to deliver very good results, and the Ford Focus WRC will once again be an extremely competitive package.  The main aim for the season will be to build on last year’s results and regularly score podium finishes.  With a number of new events on the calendar - particularly in the first half of the season - and some significant rule changes, the Stobart team is looking forward to the challenge the FIA World Rally Championship will offer in 2009.”

Stobart Motorsport clinch prestigious industry award

Posted: January 9, 2009 10:00 AM

Stobart Motorsport last night (Thursday) picked up Rally Business of the Year at the annual Motorsport Industry Association Awards. The Cumbrian-based rally team secured the accolade at the awards ceremony, held in conjunction with the Autosport International Show, at the NEC in Birmingham in front of 450 representatives from the motorsport and high performance engineering industries. They fought off fierce competition from more established, manufacturer-funded outfits such as Citroen, M-Sport and Prodrive.  

Stobart Motorsport received the award in recognition of successfully maximising its investment in the FIA World Rally Championship. Despite having a budget which is a fraction of the manufacturer-backed teams, it has successfully established itself as an outstanding performer both on and off the stages. Regularly taking the fight to the bigger teams, it has become a huge fan favourite with its iconic livery and original approach to global promotion of the brand.  

Eddie Stobart, now part of multimodal logistic providers Stobart Group, has used the World Rally Championship as a vehicle for brand awareness and business networking. Together with M-Sport and the UK’s top WRC driver Matthew Wilson, the team started off competing in the national British Rally Championship before stepping up to the world scene in 2006. Since then Eddie Stobart has achieved Superbrand status for the last three years.  

Confirmation of Stobart Motorsport’s worldwide appeal was underlined at Wales Rally GB in December when Moto GP superstar Valentino Rossi elected to compete under its banner. While manufacturer squads such as Subaru and Suzuki have recently withdrawn from the WRC, Stobart Motorsport is looking to continue its successful presence in the series in 2009 – kicking off with Rally Ireland at the end of January.  

The MIA Industry Awards were inaugurated in 1995 to recognise excellence at all levels within the motorsport and high performance engineering industries. They are the only awards of their kind within the industry and so consequently, are highly coveted. The winners are decided by the MIA members who are invited to vote for each of the seven award winners.  

Stobart Group CEO Andrew Tinkler said:
“It’s a fantastic achievement to pick up this award especially with the high quality of nominees in our category. Although Stobart Group is not directly involved in the automotive industry, our world rally championship participation provides us with a great opportunity to achieve global brand awareness and unrivalled networking with international businesses, potential clients and suppliers. This has helped Stobart Group maintain positive financial results and a leading edge over our rivals.”

Gulf Oil signs sponsorship agreement with World Rally Team Ireland

Posted: January 8, 2009 6:04 PM

Gulf Oil, one of the world's largest oil companies has today, launched a three year title sponsorship agreement with World Rally Team Ireland (WRTI). Sligo based WRTI was created in 2007 to provide an Irish presence on the World Rally Championship (WRC). In their first outing under the Gulf banner, WRTI and its Donegal Driver Shaun Gallagher will compete in Rally Ireland, the opening round of the World Rally Championship 2009. From this the team will compete in a combination of World Rally events and National events.

Dermot Fallon, Managing Director of Gulf Oil Ireland, said; "We are delighted to be involved with World Rally Team Ireland. For many years Gulf Oil has had a very strong involvement in motorsport. After the 1968 & 1969 victories of the John Wyer J.W.A. Gulf team, the iconic GT4O would forever be remembered as the powder blue car with an orange stripe that beat the best at Le Mans. It was these two classic Le Mans victories along with Steve McQueen's brilliant 1970 film titled "Le Mans" that made the Gulf Oil logo and colour scheme into an icon of motor racing. More recently we have seen Gulf come to the forefront again, with victory in the Le Mans 24 only last year, 2008. This is the initial involvement with World Rally Team Ireland and we are excited both about this and about the service that we are going to roll out across Ireland in the coming years"

WRTI driver and 2007 WRC World rookie champion Shaun Gallagher stated
''It is great to have one of the oldest and greatest oil companies in the world behind me and the team. It gives the team a sound footing for 2009. It is a totally different rally for me, getting back into a Mitsubishi Evo 9, back to where it all began in four wheel drive cars. The pace is going to be very fast this year and challenging for the World Championship drivers on our Irish tarmac. The entry list is impressive and it is going to be competitive."

Tommy Mullen, Chief Executive Officer, World Rally Team Ireland commented;
"Our team has been very successful since it was established two years ago and our latest development with Gulf Oil will really secure the teams future for 2009 and further. It allows Ireland to place its flag firmly into international rallying."

Petter Solberg free to drive for other teams

Posted: December 30, 2008 8:57 PM

Details on the Petter Solberg website:

Petter Solberg

Citroen annouce M2 Team - Rautenbach, Ogier, Novikov & Atkinson

Posted: December 26, 2008 10:34 AM

Download Press Release.

Petrochem Carless secures fuels deal with FIA World Rally Championship

Posted: December 19, 2008 7:39 PM

Petrochem Carless, one of Europe's leading refiners of advanced racing and control fuels, has been appointed single fuel supplier to the FIA World Rally Championship for 2009, 2010 and 2011.

The fuels will be produced in Harwich, England, at the company's state-of-the-art refinery and blending plant.

Prodrive Press Release - Subaru to withdraw from World Rally Championship

Posted: December 19, 2008 9:55 AM

Subaru has announced its decision to withdraw from the 2009 World Rally Championship.

This sudden decision was in response to the widespread economic downturn that is affecting the entire automotive industry, and follows Suzuki’s withdrawal announced yesterday.

After 20 years in the sport, during which time the Prodrive-run Subaru World Rally Team has won six World Rally Championship titles, this is not only sad news for Subaru and the team, but also for millions of rallying fans around the world. Thanks to its highly successful World Rally Championship programme, Subaru has developed into one of the world’s most widely recognised and evocative automotive brands.

Prodrive chairman, David Richards, said:
“Subaru’s departure from the World Rally Championship is a great loss as it is one of the sport’s icons. The Subaru World Rally Team has created true champions such as Colin McRae and Richard Burns and its absence will be felt by many the world over. Although this decision closes a significant chapter in Prodrive’s history, our focus now turns to the future.”

For many, Prodrive and Subaru are synonymous, given the long-standing and close association between the two companies. However, while the Subaru World Rally Team historically represented a significant part of Prodrive’s business, today it accounts for no more than 20 per cent of the company’s turnover.

Prodrive will look to redeploy as many of the rally team as possible in other areas of its business operations, which have grown to span advanced engineering and manufacturing for the automotive, defence, marine and aerospace industries, in addition to other motorsport programmes.

Despite the current economic downturn, Prodrive’s automotive engineering business remains buoyant as it works with vehicle manufacturers to accelerate the development of next generation fuel-efficient vehicles and alternative fuel technologies.

Together with Subaru, Prodrive’s commitment to its customer rally teams will also continue unabated for 2009 and beyond. Over the past 15 years, Prodrive has sold close to 500 rally cars to more than 400 private competitors and independent rally teams in 47 countries. During this time, Prodrive’s customers have won five consecutive Production World Rally Championships and countless international rallies. In 2008, Prodrive-supported customer teams have claimed eight rally championship titles around the world.

Looking ahead, 2010 will see the introduction of new World Rally Championship technical regulations, which provide Prodrive with an opportunity to prepare for re-entering the championship with a new team and build on its 24 years of World Rally Championship experience and success.

Subaru & Suzuki withdraw from WRC

Posted: December 16, 2008 1:19 PM

Subaru & Suzuki World Rally Team have withdrawn from the World Rally Championship with immediate effect.

Details

www.wrc.com

Posted: December 13, 2008 1:00 PM

2009 WRC Launch at Stormont cancelled

Posted: November 20, 2008 3:58 PM

Reports last week indicate the proposed launch 2009 WRC at Stormont have been cancelled:

Red Bull and Citroën to continue their partnership in 2009

Posted: October 14, 2008 12:13 PM

Red Bull, the energising drinks leading brand and Citroën Sport, the rally team entered in the World Championship, have taken the common decision to continue their collaboration in 2009.

The association between Red Bull and Citroën Sport kicked off earlier in 2008 on the Argentina Rally and has since proved particularly successful, racking up a score of eight wins to date with the Red Bull-liveried C4 WRC. On top of that, Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena and Citroën are in a strong position to claim this year's Drivers' and Manufacturers' championship titles.

Citroën is France's preferred brand and its catalogue features a range of innovative models which are not only popular with young drivers but which also set them apart from the products of its rivals. The modern, dynamic spirit promoted by the Austrian firm fits perfectly with the image of the Citroën brand.

"It is great news that the collaboration between Red Bull and Citroën is to continue next year," says Citroën Sport's director Olivier Quesnel. "It is a sign of confidence and shows that there is a perfect fit between our two brands."

"One of the first tangible signs of the arrival of Red Bull as a partner was a new livery for our C4 WRCs which I took to at once," continues Sébastien Loeb. "I think it reinforces Citroën's image as an innovative brand. Red Bull is involved in extreme, trendy sports that enjoy extensive media coverage, and the fact that it has decided to continue in the World Rally Championship next year is excellent news for rallying!"

Plan to launch 2009 World Rally Championship at Stormont

Posted: June 25, 2008 2:47 PM

Discussions are currently ongoing between Rally Ireland, World Rally Championship (WRC) stakeholders and the sports governing body, the FIA, about the possibility of launching the 2009 WRC season in Belfast next January.

Rally Ireland is the first event of the 2009 WRC season (January 29th – February 1st) and the planned Launch in Stormont Estate would take place in the weekend beforehand.

In 2007 Rally Ireland was the most watched WRC event, with more than 62.8 million people tuning in worldwide. These excellent viewing figures were founded on the opening live stage hosted in Stormont Estate.

Ronan Morgan of Rally Ireland stated that the planned event would be a first in the history of the WRC: “Such an event will be designed to generate significant extra TV coverage for all concerned and to provide the millions of fans around the world with an exciting new spectacle.''

He added that more information will be made available in the coming weeks as the project takes shape. Belfast-based Bobby Willis will manage the WRC event at Stormont Estate.

This unique cross-border event, sponsored by Fáilte Ireland and Sport NI, will travel through eight counties.

In 2007, Rally Ireland attracted more than 250,000 spectators, generated more than €48 / stg£38 million for the economy and was broadcast in more than 180 countries worldwide.

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RALLY IRELAND (WRC) - 29 Jan - 1 Feb 09

Provisional 2009 WRC Calendar

Posted: June 25, 2008 2:45 PM

01-Feb Ireland
15-Feb Norway
15-Mar Cyprus
05-Apr Portugal
26-Apr Argentina
24-May Italy
14-Jun Greece
28-Jun Poland
02-Aug Finland
06-Sep Australia
04-Oct Spain
25-Oct GB