Ford releases new WRC car
Team driver, Finland’s Mikko Hirvonen and Director of Motorsport Ford of Europe, Macroom’s Gerard Quinn unveiled the new livery at the traditional start-of-season showcase event. Ford’s official WRC squad for 2011, that also includes Jari Matti Latvala, also confirmed its new name and logo — it will compete as the Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team.
Title partner Abu Dhabi will continue its support for the fifth year in succession. Emirati driver, Khalid Al Qassimi, will drive a third Fiesta RS WRC in support of the Finnish duo. The team will also continue its association with Castrol (a partner since 2005) branding for Castrol EDGE, its global range of motor oils, will feature prominently in the Fiesta RS WRC’s livery.
Speaking at the launch, Gerard Quinn said, “We have a fully finished car in a really eye-catching new livery plus a new team name and excitement is building throughout the squad as we prepare for the opening round in Sweden next month. The aim was to produce a car capable of challenging for world championship titles, but one which also reflects the much-admired ‘kinetic design’ styling cues synonymous with Ford’s current road vehicles.”
On Ford’s title challenge, he remarked, “Nobody knows what’s going to happen until we get to Sweden, we don’t know how competitive we or other people in the championship are, but we are very optimistic based on what we know from the intensive testing we have done. When you look back at the history of the WRC in recent times, the only people to have beaten Sebastien Loeb were either Jari Matti (Latvala) or Mikko (Hirvonen), obviously Sebastien Ogier stepped in last year. We are quite confident and satisfied with our guys. The one good thing with the new cars and the new regulations is that it’s going to be a level playing field. I think the other thing that is going to come into the equation is tyres. Nobody knows what’s going to happen with the new tyres, we have been accustomed to working with Pirelli and the type of tyre they provided. We don’t know what’s going to happen with Michelin so that’s something else that has come into the mix. It will be really exciting in Sweden.”
The new car is derived from the Fiesta road car and has been developed by Ford of Europe and British-based rally partner M-Sport. It is based on the Fiesta S2000 rally car, which won the Monte Carlo Rally last year.
In relation to specific targets, Quinn opined, “It’s important, as a manufacturer that we go after the manufacturer’s title straight from the start. We want to get both our drivers back on performance, Mikko hasn’t hidden the fact that he had a tough year last year and we want to get him back up to speed.
The Fiesta RS WRC will form part of a new era in the world championship, for which a revised cost-effective formula is introduced this season. It boasts four-wheel drive transmission and a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine, based on the new Ford EcoBoost road vehicle power plant, to comply with the new regulations. Testing will continue in Sweden next week ahead of the Fiesta RS WRC’s championship debut in Rally Sweden, the opening round of the series on February 10-13 next.
Circuit of Ireland Rally winner, Derek McGarrity is set to campaign a Mitsubishi EvoX in tomorrow’s New Year Stages Rally at Kirkistown. The entry for the six stage rally also features Emma McKinstry, John McGaffin, George Robinson and Gary White, all in Subaru WRC’s. Tomorrow night’s Monaghan Navigation Trial begins from Tydavnet at 9.00pm and on Sunday, the TDC Multi-venue Autotest at Mondello Park, starts at 9.30am.
Organisers of the Quality Hotels West Cork Rally have announced that the Fastnet Line Ferry Service (Cork/Swansea) has agreed to become associate sponsor of the Clonakilty event that takes place on March 19/20 next. In a bid to increase the overseas entry, the organisers are offering a 20% discount on sailings — provided booking is made before February 28th. A return sailing to Wales on the Monday night after the rally is viewed as an important part of the package. A “spectator stage” close to the town of Clonakilty is scheduled at the end of Saturday’s leg. The entry fee of €630 for the 17-stage event remains unchanged since 2009.
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