2013 World Rally Championship

Posted: November 14, 2013 11:06 AM - 15453 Hits

MICHAEL PARK 'BEEF' TROPHY 2013

Posted: November 14, 2013 11:06 AM

The Michael Park 'Beef' Trophy is awarded annually in memory of Michael Park, who died in a tragic accident during Wales Rally GB in 2005 while co-driving for his long-term partner Markko Märtin.

Michael is much missed by the entire FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) community. To perpetuate his memory a group of friends and colleagues - inspired by Vincent Laverne - commissioned the trophy.

The bronze bust was created by French artist François Chevalier and was donated to Michael’s wife, Marie, and children, William and Victoria.

Each season a smaller replica trophy is awarded to a co-driver who has best demonstrated the qualities associated with Michael during his career, taking into account overall performances, attitude, commitment and other actions or achievements.

In 2006 the trophy was first presented to Daniel Elena from Monaco. Since then it has been awarded to Timo Rautiainen (Finland, 2007), Denis Giraudet (France, 2008), Jarmo Lehtinen (Finland, 2009), Phil Mills (Wales, 2010), Ilka Minor (Austria, 2011) and Stéphane Prévot (Belgium, 2012).

The recipient is decided by a jury of Michael’s close colleagues from the WRC community, comprising Paul Turner (Michael Park’s manager), Robert Reid, Vincent Laverne and Mark Wilford. This year there were two nominations from which to choose: Julien Ingrassia (France) and Nicolas Gilsoul (Belgium).

We are pleased to announce that for 2013 Nicolas Gilsoul has been chosen as the eighth winner of the Michael Park ‘Beef’ Trophy.

Gilsoul, 31, partners Thierry Neuville in the Qatar World Rally Team and has been influential in Neuville’s stellar season, which included a run of four consecutive second place finishes. The pair could secure the runners-up position in the FIA World Rally Championship at Wales Rally GB this weekend.

He began his co-driving career in 2000 in the Belgian Rally Championship before moving up to the European Rally Championship in 2004, when he guided Bruno Thiry to third. Gilsoul scored his maiden victory alongside his fellow countryman in the 2006 Rallye des Cardabelles Millau-Aveyron.

He made his FIA World Rally Championship debut in 2007 at Rallye Monte-Carlo and joined forces with rising star Thierry Neuville in 2011. The pair finished third in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, having won both the Tour de Corse and Rallye Sanremo.

They signed up for a full 13-round WRC programme with the Citroen Junior World Rally Team for 2012 before switching to the Qatar squad for 2013. Neuville and Gilsoul have just been announced as the lead pairing for the new Hyundai Motorsport team in 2014.

“Nicolas is relatively inexperienced compared to his colleagues in the major teams. Indeed Wales Rally GB will only be his 28th WRC start, but he has quickly established himself right at the top of the elite group of World Championship co-drivers,” said Turner.

“Like many in the co-driving profession, Nicolas goes about his business in a low profile but highly professional way. He and Thierry have worked hard during 2013 to improve their pace notes, sometimes refusing the chance for rest and refreshments during a mid-leg service to work on bettering their notes for the afternoon stages.

“We feel Michael would see many of his own traits in Nicolas and would support this decision for 2013.

“This year we had two standout candidates and I would also like to pay tribute to Julien Ingrassia. He has enjoyed a marvellous season alongside Sébastien Ogier in Volkswagen Motorsport’s all-conquering team and deciding between Nicolas and Julien was an extremely hard decision,” added Turner.

Nicolas was presented with the trophy in front of invited media and guests at Qatar M-Sport World Rally Team’s reception in the Wales Rally GB service park in Deeside on the 13 of November.

Tunnock’s World Rally Team officially launched

Posted: July 24, 2013 6:22 PM

The Tunnock’s World Rally Team has been officially launched at the famous teacake company’s bakery in Uddingston, Scotland, where it was announced that Robert Barrable will contest five of the remaining six rounds of the 2013 FIA World Rally Championship in a new Ford Fiesta R5.

Stuart Loudon, the great, great grandson of the company’s founder, Mr. Thomas Tunnock, will co-drive.

Tunnock’s was established in 1890 and has a long history in rallying. Its Managing Director, Mr. Boyd Tunnock CBE (Stuart’s grandfather), competed as a rally driver in the late 1950s and early ‘60s – most notably in MGs, winning the California Trophy three times. Tunnock’s Sales Manager, Mr. Fergus Loudon, a former leading Scottish Rally Championship co-driver and West of Scotland champion (in 1990 with John Gray in a Sierra Cosworth), is Stuart’s father.

Tunnock’s bakes 10 million biscuits a week, of which half are its famous Caramel Wafer. It employs 520 staff and exports to 33 countries.

The wraps came off the Tunnock’s World Rally Team Fiesta R5 at the company’s factory in Lanarkshire – prior to the car heading to Rally Finland (1-3 August), Rally Deutschland (22-25 August), Rally France (3-6 September), Rally Spain (24-27 September) and Wales Rally GB (13-17 November).

Those events will see the completion of a six-round 2013 programme, following Robert’s WRC debut on Rally Portugal in April – in which he finished an excellent 2nd in WRC-2 and 11th overall, driving a Tunnock’s Ford Fiesta S2000.

The Tunnock’s World Rally Team Fiesta R5 has been developed by M-Sport and will be maintained and run on events by Carlisle-based rally preparation experts CA1 Sport.

Mr. Boyd Tunnock CBE:
“Here we have a rally team that aspires to win, and we’ve got a team at Tunnock’s that is winning, so the two go together very well! It’s all about having the best equipment, which we have in the factory and in the Fiesta R5, and the best people, which we also have in Uddingston and in the rally car. It’s a winning combination, so I’m sure it will be a great success.

Mr. Fergus Loudon:
“Europe is a very important market and a nut we haven’t been able to crack yet, so this rally project will give us great exposure in countries where we don’t currently sell to. The first rally in Finland is a classic example. Scandinavia is full of people who, in our opinion, should be buying Caramel Wafers! There are strong commercial reasons why we are involved in rallying, but it’s also nice to be able to help Robert and Stuart and give them a helping hand in their motorsport careers.”

Robert Barrable:
“It’s a great privilege and a wonderful opportunity to venture into a new motorsport partnership with such a long-established and recognised company like Tunnock’s. It’s their fantastic support that enables Stuart and I to contest six rounds of this year’s FIA World Rally Championship, and we very much thank them for that. We are working very closely together to make sure their support is rewarded, and the Tunnock’s World Rally Team is a huge success. It’s going to be one of the most popular sponsorship deals in the WRC – Tunnock’s teacakes are exceptionally nice and we’ll be bringing a few boxes of them to give out to fans wherever we go!”

Stuart Loudon:
“The Tunnock’s World Rally Team Fiesta R5 looks fantastic and it’s great that my father and grandfather are so heavily involved in this new rally project. They both seem delighted with the livery on the car and the WRC programme of events, and if they’re delighted, then I’m delighted! Tunnock’s is a great sponsor to have – not only because it’s a long-established Scottish and a great British company, but because when somebody asks you what it actually is, you can give them a Caramel Wafer for them to try!”

Tunnock’s World Rally Team 2013 programme:

MINI GETS MORE POWER

Posted: April 8, 2013 10:01 PM

Prodrive has introduced a significant performance upgrade to the MINI John Cooper Works engine, bringing an additional 8 bhp and a similar increase in torque for the 33mm restricted World Rally Car specification unit and 5 bhp for the 30mm restricted S2000.

Working within the engine's existing homologation, the performance has been improved by increasing the compression ratio and optimising the cam timing and knock control.

The work has been carried out by Prodrive's race engine team since the beginning of the year, the same team that prepares the Aston Martin race engines. Jason Hill, chief engineer, race engines, said:
"We have taken advantage of the latitude within the engine's current homologation to make some significant improvements. While the peak power and torque figures speak for themselves, the area under the power curve is much greater, and this is the most important change as it makes the engine far more responsive and flexible, something drivers will immediately notice."

The engine will be first used in competition by Michal Kosciuszko in his Lotos Team MINI WRC at Rally Portugal next week and is available as an upgrade to all existing MINI WRC and S2000 competitors with the latest specification of car.

ROBERT KUBICA OPTS FOR THE CITROEN DS3 RRC

Posted: March 8, 2013 3:09 PM

A few weeks after having competed in two rallies in a C4 WRC, Robert Kubica has decided to pursue his rally driving career in a Citroe?n DS3 RRC. The Pole’s 2013 programme will get underway at the Rally Islas Canarias – the third round of the FIA European Rally Championship – before he begins his campaign in the WRC2 at Rally de Portugal.

Eagerly awaited by his fans, Robert Kubica’s 2013 racing programme is set to place much greater emphasis on rallying. After having predominantly taken part in national rallies thus far, the Polish driver will compete in the European and World Rally Championships in a Citroen DS3 RRC.

“I weighed up the different options before deciding on this programme,” confirmed the Krakow-born driver. “I kept in touch with Citroe?n Racing and both sides were keen to continue working together. I’m really pleased now to be able to return to top-level racing. Taking part in Rally Islas Canarias will be an interesting challenge for me. I can’t wait to start racing, but I haven’t set myself any specific target. I still have a lot to learn in rallying and to improve I will need to rack up the miles on the stages.”

Three weeks after competing in the Canaries, Robert Kubica will line up at the start of his first World Championship Rally in Portugal. Entered in the WRC2, he is committed to contesting seven rounds of the 2013 calendar. He may also end up competing in additional European Championship rallies.

Faithfully derived from the DS3 WRC, the RRC version differs from its big sister in that it has more restrictive aerodynamic features and a smaller turbo flange. Following special dispensation granted by the FIA, the Polish driver’s car will have a specifically-designed gearbox, with a paddle installed to the left of the steering wheel.

“I am especially pleased to have Robert Kubica as one of our drivers in 2013,” added Yves Matton, Citroe?n Racing Team Principal. “Thanks to the support of his partners, we are in the process of putting together a racing programme that will enable him to improve in a car that offers similar handling to a World Rally Car. Robert’s determination is an example to us all and we are proud to associate Citroe?n Racing’s image with such a resolutely positive individual. I would also like to thank the FIA for supporting us with this arrangement.”

AL-KUWARI / DUFFY TO PILOT FORD FIESTA RRC IN WRC-2

Posted: February 6, 2013 11:49 AM

M-Sport are pleased to confirm that Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari will pilot a Ford Fiesta RRC in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) this year as the Qatari driver competes in the new WRC-2 category for the Seashore Qatar Rally Team. Starting his campaign in Mexico – with full support from M-Sport – Al-Kuwari will then tackle the gravel stages of Portugal, Greece and Italy alongside Irish co-driver Killian Duffy.

Well known on the Middle Eastern rally scene, Al-Kuwari has been a regular in the FIA Middle East Rally Championship since 2003 – finishing a close second to fellow countryman Nasser Al-Attiyah in last year’s series. Winning all six rounds of the Qatar Rally Championship, Al-Kuwari was also crowned 2012 Qatar Rally Champion and made his first venture to the international stage with rounds in both the European Rally Championship (ERC) and WRC. Contesting two rounds of the world series, the Qatari even scored a world championship point on his global debut at the Acropolis Rally of Greece.

Taking to the wheel of the Fiesta RRC for the first time during a visit to M-Sport’s headquarters in the north of England earlier this month, Al-Kuwari completed a short 65km test at the team’s test stage in the confines of Greystoke Forest. Relishing the opportunity to prove his potential behind the wheel of the Fiesta, Al-Kuwari will make his competitive debut with the model at Rally Mexico in March.

Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari said:
“M-Sport is very well known in the industry. They have great marketing and proved that they are one of the best in their field – it’s easy to see when you look at how many Fiestas they have competing all over the world! For Seashore, M-Sport was the obvious choice.

“We didn’t test the [Ford] Fiesta [RRC] for so long, but from the first few kilometres I can say that it is very easy to drive. It has great control, great torque, the suspension is amazing, and that is exactly what you need when you are driving on gravel stages as we will for most of the season.

“Competing in WRC2 this year, I think a top-five finish will be a good overall result in our first full season both in the championship and with the Fiesta [RRC].”

M-SPORT'S FORD FIESTA R5 HITS THE FOREST

Posted: February 1, 2013 10:26 AM

M-Sport’s Ford Fiesta R5 took to the forest today as WRC regular, Matthew Wilson, put the new model through its paces at the team’s testing ground in the confines of Greystoke Forest in the north of England. Testing durability, reliability and performance, the team are working hard to ensure the outfit’s latest challenger reaches the same high standards as its fellow Fiestas.

Despite harnessing all the same expertise that launched the record-breaking Ford Fiesta S2000, Fiesta RRC and Fiesta RS WRC, the Fiesta R5 is a completely revised model with over 90% of the car designed and developed from new. While this brings its challenges, it also allows the team to expand their previous successes and create a car which is not only affordable and easily maintained, but also highly competitive.

Early indications are promising, and M-Sport’s team of designers and engineers are committed to producing another globally successful rally car. With deposits already being placed for the first batch of Fiesta R5s, those wishing to receive more information should register their interest with M-Sport’s Customer Liaison Manager, Richard Millener (rmillener@m-sport.co.uk).

Ford Fiesta R5 test driver, Matthew Wilson, said:
“We have made some great progress [with the Ford Fiesta R5] today – for a car to come straight out of the box and run like this is fantastic.

“We have mainly been testing the durability and reliability of the car today to see how it fares under the conditions it is likely to face at World Championship level, but we also worked on improving the set-up this afternoon.

“There is still a lot of development to do, but today has been very promising. All the basics are there and this new Fiesta is set to be a really competitive car.”

Video: Interview with Malcom Wilson

Posted: January 28, 2013 8:39 PM

Brynildsen Joins DMACK In WRC2 Challenge

Posted: January 12, 2013 2:17 PM

Norwegian driver Eyvind Brynildsen has confirmed a partnership with DMACK, one of only two authorised suppliers to this year's FIA World Rally Championship, and Autotek Motorsport to compete in this year's inaugural WRC2 series.

The 24-year-old Norwegian will use a Ford Fiesta Regional Rally Car in the traditional DMACK livery for his first event at Rally Sweden in February and will revert to a new R5 specification Fiesta once it is launched later this season. Brynildsen will join Jari Ketomaa, who has helped DMACK develop an all-new studded winter tyre, and Martin Prokop as a DMACK supported driver on the only true snow event of the season.

Brynildsen made his WRC debut on the 2006 Swedish Rally and has competed on 34 events since then. The WRC2 support championship caters for four-wheel-drive, non world rally cars and competitors can score points on six from seven events.

Eyvind Brynildsen said:
"This is a fantastic opportunity for me and I'm really looking forward to the competition and challenge that the WRC2 championship will offer. DMACK and Autotek have a successful history together so it will be great to join them, and Jari Ketomaa, in Sweden. This is an event where I started my WRC career and I can't wait to get this programme off to a good start in Sweden."

Dick Cormack, DMACK motorsport director, said:
"Eyvind is an exciting young driver who has shown speed on all surfaces in the world rally championship and we're really happy to have him join the team. WRC2 is looking like it could be a strong championship this year and, with our recent improvements in performance and new range of tyres for this season, we're sure that DMACK will appeal to many of its competitors."

DMACK Set For World Rally Assault

Posted: January 7, 2013 3:59 PM

DMACK will kick off its 2013 motorsport campaigns with a series of world rally car outings across the opening winter events in the FIA World Rally Championship.

After finishing off the 2012 season with its first-ever fastest WRC stage time, the British-Chinese collaboration has a renewed focus on success with a range of new motorsport products.

Czech driver Martin Prokop, who drove DMACK to its best-ever WRC finish of fourth in Rally Argentina in 2012, will use DMACK for his entire 2013 world rally campaign – starting with next week’s Rallye Monte Carlo in his Ford Fiesta WRC car.

He will be joined in the iconic WRC-opening event by Michael Ko?ciuszko who will drive a Ralliart Italia-prepared MINI WRC. DMACK will also be the tyre partner to the Ralliart Italy Cup – an FIA-approved one-make series which offers an affordable option for competitors to contest the new WRC2 championship.

Also back in action is Finn Jari Ketomaa. Ketomaa has helped DMACK develop an all-new winter snow tyre and will be using it when he tackles the Latvian Rally Liep?ja-Ventspils, second round of the all-new FIA European Rally Championship, in an Autotek Fiesta RRC car.

Ketomaa will also compete with DMACK on Rally Sweden in a Fiesta WRC car where he will be chasing a top-10 finish on one of his favourite surfaces.

Dick Cormack, DMACK motorsport director, said:
“Rally de Espana last year was a key event for DMACK and proved that our motorsport tyres have the performance on both gravel and asphalt to compete at the top. Since then there’s been a flurry of enquiries from competitors across the world as that event really helped showcase our performance and credibility.

“We have a much improved winter snow tyre this year and expect it to be popular in both Latvia and Sweden. Jari will be strong on these events and we’re confident he can demonstrate how much progress we’ve made.”

MENTOS TO RUN TWO MINIS IN WRC

Posted: January 3, 2013 2:24 PM

The Ukraine-based Mentos Acania Racing Team will run two MINI John Cooper Works S2000 cars in the WRC 2 and the Ukrainian national championship in 2013.

Drivers Valery Gorban and Oleksii Kikireshko will debut their cars at Rally Sweden in February and will compete in the championship with full engineering and technical support from Prodrive.

The team is not new to the World Rally Championship, having competed in last year's PWRC, where Gorban finished third in the series and secured victory on the Acropolis.

Graham Prew, senior sales manager at Prodrive, said:
"The team considered all the latest WRCs, but chose the MINI after driving the car and visiting the factory. This is the first full customer programme for the MINI S2000 within the WRC. It has already proved its competitiveness on the international stage, winning the Tour de Corse in 2012 in the IRC, and with further engine and chassis development already underway, the Mentos cars will have the best chance to run at the front of the WRC 2 field."

Both cars are being built to the latest specification and will leave Prodrive's workshops in Banbury at the end of January.

NOVIKOV AND NEUVILLE JOIN QATAR M-SPORT QUARTET FOR 2013

Posted: December 18, 2012 10:41 AM

M-Sport is pleased to confirm Evgeny Novikov and Thierry Neuville for the 2013 edition of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). Piloting the Ford Fiesta RS WRC on all 13 rounds of next season’s championship, both drivers will represent the State of Qatar alongside Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mads Østberg as the quartet look to make their mark on the world stage.

Partnered by Austrian Ilka Minor, Novikov was a strong candidate for the drive since negotiations began last month and is more than capable of performing at rallying’s highest level. With 36 WRC starts to his name, the Russian secured two podium finishes in 2012 – the first, in Portugal, making him the youngest ever driver to stand on a WRC podium at just 21 years old.

Finishing sixth overall in this year’s drivers’ championship, Novikov regularly took the fight to his more experienced rivals and rose to the challenge on a number of occasions. Competing under the M-Sport Ford team banner throughout 2012, the Muscovite’s knowledge of the Fiesta RS WRC and close relationship with the team will hold him in good stead as he looks to build on his already successful career in 2013.

Following an impressive debut season in the WRC, Neuville was another obvious choice to join M-Sport’s latest crop of young talents. Starting his career as part of the Belgian Ford Fiesta Sport Trophy series in 2008, the 24-year-old is no stranger to M-Sport’s range of Ford Fiesta rally cars. Due to make his competitive debut in the Fiesta’s WRC guise at the season opener in Monte-Carlo, the youngster will be looking to prove his versatility alongside regular co-driver, Nicolas Gilsoul.

Having contested 20 WRC events to date, Neuville has already notched up 11 stage victories in the world series and claimed a career-best result at this year’s Rallye de France-Alsace when he finished a creditable fourth. Contesting the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in 2011, the youngster is also no stranger to the taste of champagne having conquered the demanding stages of both the Tour de Corse and Rallye Sanremo where he secured his first international victories.

With the world’s brightest young talents lining up alongside Qatar and M-Sport in 2013, the stage is set for the next generation of world championship contenders. With guidance from one of motorsport’s most decorated drivers in the form of Al-Attiyah, the stars of tomorrow will benefit from the Qatari’s guidance and expertise throughout the year.

M-Sport Managing Director, Malcolm Wilson OBE, said:
“Both Evgeny [Novikov] and Thierry [Neuville] were strong candidates since negotiations began. They are young, but they have both shown some real maturity this year – combining obvious speed with a determination to finish all of the events and gain as much knowledge of the stages as possible. Both have regularly challenged the factory drivers, and their 2012 results were thoroughly deserved. I am confident that both drivers have more to prove and that we will see more impressive performances from them in 2013.

“We have a young team for next year, but this by no means detracts from their ability to produce some strong results. All of them, Mads [Østberg], Evgeny [Novikov] and Thierry [Neuville], proved their worth in 2012 and, with guidance from Nasser [Al-Attiyah], they can all be fantastic ambassadors for Qatar, M-Sport and the WRC.”

Evgeny Novikov said:
“I am very glad to be representing Qatar and M-Sport next year. I would like to express huge gratitude to all those who supported me and believed in me: my mentor Mikhail Lepekhov, Malcolm Wilson, my family and my fans.

“In 2013 we will fight at the top level and do our best to please those who have supported us all these years.”

Thierry Neuville said:
“It is a great honour for me to represent Qatar and M-Sport on all 13 rounds of next season’s championship. Thanks to a great ‘learning’ year in the WRC, I am confident that I will be able to achieve some great results alongside M-Sport and my new team mates.

“I would especially like to thank Malcolm [Wilson] for his confidence in me, and also my friend Nasser [Al-Attiyah] for his fantastic support. I am now focussed on preparing for Rally Monte-Carlo and really looking forward to the start of this new adventure.”

Date for Germany confirmed

Posted: December 14, 2012 10:04 AM

The date for the 2013 ADAC Rallye Deutschland is confirmed as 25 August.

Full 2013 WRC Calendar

Breen named World Rally Driver of the Year

Posted: November 27, 2012 1:45 AM

Craig Breen has been voted World Rally Driver of the Year by the WRC. The poll which was carried out on WRC.com saw the Waterford driver gain 39% of the vote with Norwegian driver Mads Ostberg second securing 38% of the vote. Sebastien Loeb, who clinched his ninth World Rally title in 2012 came third with 8% of the vote.

Breen has had a turbulent season having come in to 2012 as the WRC Academy champion. The 22-year-old began the season as he left off, winning the opening round of the SWRC in Monte Carlo and he followed this up with a second place finish in Sweden in the second round of the Super 2000 category.

Tragedy struck in June though when a crash at the Targa Florio rally in Sicily saw Breen lose his co-driver and best friend, Welshman Gareth Roberts. Despite this, Breen got back behind the wheel weeks later and on Roberts’ home event, Rally GB, Breen secured another SWRC win. He backed this up with a win in France and, two weeks ago, a victory in at the Rally de Espana to take the Super 2000 World Rally Championship. This secured Breen’s second world rally title in as many years .

QATAR JOINS FORCES WITH M-SPORT FOR 2013

Posted: November 27, 2012 1:44 AM

M-Sport are pleased to announce a new partnership with Qatar for the 2013 edition of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) which will see the Cumbria firm run three Qatari liveried Ford Fiesta RS WRCs under the Qatar M-Sport World Rally Team banner in next year’s championship.

Making their debut in the Fiesta RS WRC, Nasser Al-Attiyah and Giovanni Bernacchini will contest a seven-round programme scheduled around their other motorsport commitments. Launching their 2013 campaign at Rally Sweden in February, the duo will be looking to build upon their previous successes in the world series.

Set to do battle for a record-breaking eighth FIA Middle East Rally Championship title with M-Sport’s Ford Fiesta RRC at the end of November, the Qatari driver was instrumental in making the partnership a reality and enjoys a strong relationship with the Cumbrian firm.

Piloting the Ford Fiesta S2000 to its maiden victory at the 2010 Qatar International Rally – on the same weekend that saw Mikko Hirvonen secure victory in Monte Carlo – Al-Attiyah has a working knowledge of M-Sport’s range of Fiesta rally cars and is poised to contest what could be his best ever season in the WRC.

M-Sport Managing Director, Malcolm Wilson OBE, said:

“We are delighted to welcome such a prestigious partner as Qatar on board for 2013. The partnership with Nasser [Al-Attiyah] and the Qatari State will enable M-Sport to continue at the pinnacle of the sport and we are looking forward to working together in the future. Since the 2012 season came to a close, work has not stopped and the entire team is working around the clock to ensure we deliver a strong package for next year."

Nasser Al-Attiyah said:

“We are looking forward to building on our strong relationship with M-Sport and working with them in 2013. I have a good knowledge of the car having driven the [Ford] Fiesta S2000 to its debut win in 2010 and now looking to secure my eighth title in the Middle East with the [Ford] Fiesta RRC. I am really looking forward to getting behind the wheel of the [Ford] Fiesta RS WRC and contesting as many WRC events as I can around my other motorsport commitments.”

M-SPORT CONFIRMS ØSTBERG FOR 2013

Posted: November 27, 2012 1:36 AM

Following the recent announcement that M-Sport will team up with the State of Qatar for the 2013 edition of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), the company is pleased to confirm Mads Østberg and Jonas Andersson as Qatar M-Sport World Rally Team’s nominated point scorers for all 13 rounds of next season’s championship.

Following a sensational performance this season, Østberg was a strong candidate to help guide the team to success in 2013. Securing a top-five finish on each of the 11 rounds he contested in 2012, the Norwegian secured fourth place overall in the drivers’ championship – just 5 points adrift of Ford World Rally Team’s Jari-Matti Latvala in third.

Despite his relatively young age, Østberg has more than 20 years of experience in motorsport and has been a regular on the world stage since 2006. Having piloted the Ford Fiesta RS WRC since its debut in 2011 – contributing to a clean sweep of the podium for the Fiesta on its maiden outing in Sweden – the Norwegian is well versed in how to get the maximum from the car and has already demonstrated his ability on snow, gravel and asphalt.

With 15 stage wins and his first WRC victory under his belt, Østberg has regularly challenged his more experienced rivals. Harnessing a working knowledge of the team and car, the ambitious youngster is poised to produce another successful season behind the wheel of the Fiesta RS WRC and will be looking to prove his potential as one of the championship’s most sought-after talents.

M-Sport Managing Director, Malcolm Wilson OBE, said:

“Mads’ [Østberg] performance this year has been very impressive. He has always had the speed, but his progression on Tarmac and the maturity he has demonstrated this season proves that he is ready to make the next step in his career and made him the ideal candidate to join the team in 2013. He has an old head on young shoulders and I am confident that we will see some strong performances from him as he rises to the challenge next year.”

Mads Østberg said:

“I am really happy to have been chosen to join the team and continue working closely with M-Sport next season. We’ve been working with the car [Ford Fiesta RS WRC] for two years now – we know the car and we know the team so from the technical side of things, I think we will be in a really good position as there won’t be too much of a change to get used to.

“But from the other side of things, it will still be a big challenge – albeit a big step in the right direction! This season has been really good for us, and I hope we can continue that into 2013. I am really looking forward to next season, and I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel and start testing with the team [in the next couple of weeks].

“This is a great opportunity for me. I have had many dreams in my career, but achieving this drive is definitely one of the biggest and I am certainly going to try and make the most of it.”

Prodrive: RESPONSE TO DANI SORDO'S MOVE TO CITROEN

Posted: November 15, 2012 12:15 PM

The Prodrive WRC Team is wishing Dani Sordo the best of luck for the future, following his move to the Citroen World Rally Team for 2013.

"Dani is one of the top drivers in the WRC and after his stunning performance in Spain last weekend, I am not at all surprised that Citroen have snapped him up," said Dave Wilcock, Prodrive WRC Team principal.

"It's been a pleasure working with him over the last two years and his experience has been invaluable to the development of the MINI WRC. Just as importantly, behind the scenes he got on very well with everyone in the team and whenever we were running two cars he was a great team mate and not a rival.

"Although we have faced many challenges, Dani always remained positive and loyal to the team and I am only sad that we could not have given him his first win. I know that he wanted to secure his first WRC victory in the MINI and had we been able to confirm a full programme for him in 2013, I am sure he would have stayed with the team."

Wilcock added:
"Now we have to move on, confirm our programme and driver line up for next year and continue with our development programme in order to achieve our goal of securing a maiden MINI win in the WRC."

DANI SORDO REJOINS CITROËN RACING

Posted: November 15, 2012 12:08 PM

Having driven for the Brand between 2005 and 2010, Dani Sordo has spent the majority of his WRC career with Citroën Racing. Alongside co-driver Carlos del Barrio, the 29 year-old Spaniard is set to rejoin the Citroën Total World Rally Team to compete in the 2013 World Rally Championship.

Dani Sordo has driven a Citroën in 80 of his 98 WRC rallies. Back in 2005, Yves Matton, the then Customer Racing Manager, entrusted a C2 Super 1600 to the Cantabria-born driver to take part in the J-WRC (Junior World Championship). After winning the title in his first season, Dani moved up a level by switching to the Xsara WRC for 2006.

With four podium finishes in his first season at the sport’s highest level, Dani earned his place in the Citroën Total World Rally Team when the works team returned to the World Championship with the C4 WRC. The next four years saw him rack up an impressive collection of 25 podium finishes, making a significant contribution to the team securing four Manufacturers’ World Championship titles.

2013 will therefore see the Spanish driver return to the team in which he grew up.
“We took our time in assessing the potential of the drivers available to line up alongside Mikko Hirvonen next season. Obviously, Dani was very high on our shortlist and his performances at the Rally de Espana proved that he can still perform at the very highest level,” explained Yves Matton, Citroën Racing Team Principal. “Dani is very well liked in the team and it’s a pleasure for everyone to see him return to the ‘family’. His profile complements Mikko’s in many aspects and it was important for Citroën to have a Latin driver for the Southern Europe and Latin American markets.”

“Obviously, I’m very pleased to rejoin a team with which I share so many good memories. This was my no.1 choice for 2013,” asserted Dani. “The last few years have been good for me. In another team, I got to grips with different working methods and I took on more responsibility in the car development process. I see this return to Citroën as a great opportunity. I am still looking for my first win in WRC and I am determined to secure it next season! I can’t wait to see the people I know again and get back behind the wheel of the DS3 WRC, in which I did some testing at the end of 2010.”

Rally Dates:

Posted: October 17, 2012 2:33 PM

Rallye Monte Carlo 20/01/13
Rally Sweden 10/02/13
Rally Mexico 10/03/13
Rallye de Portugal 14/04/13
Rally Argentina 05/05/13
Acropolis Rally 02/06/13
Rally d'Italia 23/06/13
Rally Finland 04/08/13
Rallye Deutschland 25/08/13
Rally Australia 15/09/13
Rallye de France 06/10/13
Rally de España 27/10/13
Rally of Great Britain 17/11/13

Note: The finish date given is the Sunday of the rally weekend.
Itineraries are however subject to final confirmation by event organisers.

Ford to Withdraw as a title sponsor from the FIA World Rally Championship after 2012 Season

Posted: October 17, 2012 1:33 PM

Ford of Europe today (Oct15th 2012) announced that it will withdraw from the FIA World Rally Championship as a title sponsor after the 2012 season.

The company said it made the decision as part of a review of its European business in the current difficult economic environment.

“Ford has a long and proud history in the WRC and this was not an easy decision,” said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe.
“At this time, however we determined that it was better for the company and the Ford brand to reduce our commitment to the WRC and deploy our resources in other areas.”

Ford’s long-term rallying partner, UK-based M-Sport, plans to continue competing in WRC with the Fiesta. Ford is in discussions with M-Sport to provide continued vehicle and engineering support, including for the recently announced Fiesta R5 for the new-for-2013 WRC-2 series, and the Fiesta R2 for grass-roots national and regional driver programmes.

“We have great respect for M-Sport and Malcolm Wilson, who have run the Ford WRC team since 1997, and there is no organization with more expertise and commitment to winning,” de Waard said. “Working together, we have reached a point where the Ford Fiesta has become the car of choice in rallying, and we want to see this continue in the future.”

Ford also said it wished to thank its rallying fans, drivers, the FIA, and its many WRC partners, including team main sponsors BP and Castrol, for their support and commitment.

Said Malcolm Wilson, managing director of M-Sport:
“I would like to thank Ford of Europe for their enthusiastic support and the faith shown in the team over the past 16 seasons. We understand that tough decisions have had to be made and look forward to continuing our strong technical partnership into the future.”

M-SPORT PRESS RELEASE

Posted: October 17, 2012 1:29 PM

In response to the announcement from Ford of Europe that they will reduce their commitment to the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) at the end of the season, M-Sport managing director Malcolm Wilson said today:

“I would like to thank Ford of Europe for their enthusiastic support and the faith shown in the team over the past 16 seasons. We understand that tough decisions have had to be made to safeguard Ford jobs, we accept the commercial reality of the situation and look forward to continuing our strong technical partnership into the future.

"M-Sport is extremely proud of our history with Ford since 1997; 208 podium finishes, scoring points on 156 consecutive events and 52 wins from 225 starts in the WRC along with two world titles underlines the dedication and commitment of the whole team in Cumbria.

"My intention is that we will continue to push to secure stage wins and overall results on the forthcoming events for Ford and to push forward with the development work that was started in March this year to improve and refine the Fiesta WRC even further, ready for the 2013 season.

"We will also continue to work closely with our colleagues at Ford Racing towards the launch of the Fiesta R5 for March 2013 and the improvements that we are working on for the R2 car which will continue to the form the basis of a series of national and regional young driver programmes in the future.

"Confirmation of our key championship programmes for 2013 is our first priority and a challenge that the team here is very much looking forward to. After that we can review all options and determine the right direction for the future”

MINI ceases works involvement in the WRC.

Posted: October 17, 2012 1:27 PM

MINI will terminate its works involvement in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) at the end of the 2012 season. The company has made this decision after careful consideration.

Dr. Kay Segler, Senior Vice President MINI Business Coordination and Brand Management:
“MINI will abandon its works involvement in the WRC at the end of the 2012 season. By the end of the season WRC Team MINI Portugal will have competed in every rally in 2012. As such, in accordance with FIA regulations, we will have achieved the WRC homologation for the MINI John Cooper Works. In doing so, we would have achieved the prerequisites to allow those interested to continue to run the car in the WRC on a customer rallying basis. BMW Motorsport will continue to further develop the 1.6-litre turbo engine in conjunction with Prodrive. In a very difficult commercial environment, MINI has played an active role in ensuring that friends of the MINI brand can continue to participate in motorsport. As such, the MINI family is retaining its presence on various international platforms and getting even closer to its customers. We would like to see the MINI John Cooper Works WRC continue to run competitively in WRC and other championships. We would like to thank Prodrive, WRC Team MINI Portugal and our partners for the good cooperation, and wish all drivers, teams and customers a successful future in rallying.”

MINI Motorsport has secured the future of its customer teams, while Prodrive will still be able to run, optimise and sell vehicles in the future. BMW Motorsport will continue to develop the 1.6-litre turbo engine and provide Prodrive with parts.

From its rallying debut early in 2011, the MINI John Cooper Works WRC turned out to be a successful model: MINI drivers collected three podiums and many top-ten finishes at the wheel of this car. Arguably the biggest success was achieved by Dani Sordo (ES) in January 2012, when he finished second at the comeback of MINI at the legendary Monte Carlo Rally. With three wins in the Principality – back in 1964, 1965 and 1967 – the Mini laid the foundation for the unique reputation of the brand in rallying.

Prodrive focussed on 2013 MINI campaign

Posted: October 17, 2012 1:26 PM

Prodrive is continuing to target a full programme of events in the World Rally Championship in 2013 backed up by a comprehensive development programme for both the MINI John Cooper Works WRC and S2000 cars.

This follows the announcement today by MINI that it remains committed to rallying and that BMW Motorsport would continue to develop the car’s 1.6 turbo engine in conjunction with Prodrive, despite MINI ceasing direct financial support for its works team in the WRC in 2013.

Prodrive’s existing long term contract with MINI remains unchanged. This ensures the sales, support and development of the MINI John Cooper Works WRC and S2000 cars, as well as the supply of engines and parts from BMW Motorsport for use by all teams in the WRC, regional and national rallies throughout the full homologation period of the car to 2018.

The Prodrive WRC Team has operated as an independent, private team since early 2012 and will continue to do so in 2013 with the aim of adding to the three WRC podium places already achieved by Dani Sordo.

“We understand MINI’s decision and in the current challenging economic climate it was not unexpected. It is however good news that MINI remains enthusiastic about the WRC and wishes to see MINI rally cars continuing to run competitively in the WRC and other championships. We look forward to continuing to work with MINI and BMW Motorsport to maximise the performance of both WRC and S2000 MINIs on behalf of our mutual customers and our own WRC team,“ said Richard Taylor, Business Development Director at Prodrive.

“We have been developing our own plans for 2013 WRC participation with the MINI John Cooper Works and will announce next season’s Prodrive WRC Team entry and driver details in the due course. We have a number of further enhancements to engine, chassis and transmission scheduled for introduction in the first quarter of 2013 and look forward to making these available to our many rally partners, who already operate MINI JCW cars around the world,” continued Taylor.

The Prodrive WRC Team is now concentrating on preparations for Rally Spain in November where it will run two MINI John Cooper Works WRC cars for Dani Sordo and the young Finnish driver, Jarkko Nikara.

Topics: World Rally Championship