INDIA in F1

Tag: M-Sport

  • Ken Torn and Kauri Pannas claim well-earned victory: ERC

    Ken Torn and Kauri Pannas claim well-earned victory: ERC

    Having built a four-minute lead in ERC3/ERC Junior starting the final stage, the last thing Rallye Team Spain’s Pep Bassas needed was for an overheating issue to hit his Pirelli-equipped Peugeot 208 Rally4, which he had damaged in a hefty off on SS11.

    Meanwhile, Indian Tyre giant, MRF Tyres’ team finished fifth in teams with 79 points with their goal being testing of tyres and collecting data for future development as their driver Craig Breen and Paul Nagle finished 10th in the final round were 15th overall at the end of the ERC.

    With the car refusing to fire up after he finished the final stage, Bassas feared his hopes of winning were over. Although he made it back to service at the Estadio de Gran Canaria, he was adjudged to have received outside assistance and was promptly excluded from the results, leaving Ken Torn to take an ERC3/ERC3 Junior victory double in his Ford Fiesta Rally4 alongside co-driver Kauri Pannas.

    The change of result meant Torn, part of the Estonian Autosport Junior Team, completed a memorable season with the ERC3/ERC3 Junior titles his prior to the event getting underway**. However, RFEDA-supported Rallye Team Spain still secured the FIA European Rally Championship for Teams.

    MSport release adds:

    Ken Torn and Kauri Pannas claimed a well-earned victory in their EcoBoost-powered Fiesta Rally4 on Rally Islas Canarias, the final round of the 2020 FIA European Rally Championship.
     
    The Fiesta Rally4 claimed 41 ERC3 stage wins and is the only car to finish on every ERC3 and ERC3 Junior podium in 2020.
     
    The 2020 ERC3 and ERC3 Junior Champions took to the testing and technical roads of Gran Canaria in difficult conditions on very unfamiliar territory. Regardless of Torn and Pannas’ lack of experience, the pair were competitive from the outset, putting pressure on the fight for victory with a stage win coming on SS3. The crew fought on throughout Friday to take another stage win and keep themselves and their Pirelli shod Fiesta Rally4 in the hunt for victory. 
     
    Saturday’s action saw Torn return to the stages with clear determination and speed, closing in on the lead by SS11. A mistake on SS12 meant Torn had a difficult task on his hands to win the rally with five stages to go. Using this as pure motivation, Torn put on an absolute masterclass, winning four of the following five stages to claim his fourth ERC3 and ERC3J victory of the season while his rival for the lead faltered, failing to finish the rally due to reliability problems. 
     
    The M-Sport Poland built Fiesta Rally4 is the only Rally4 car to finish on every single ERC3 and ERC3J podium in 2020. The all-Estonian crew of Ken Torn and Kauri Pannas are the only crew to taste champagne on every rally, reaching the top step on four occasions. Experiencing supreme reliability and consistent performance has been key to Torn and Pannas delivering jaw-dropping performances throughout the 2020 ERC3 Championship.
     
    The success of the Fiesta Rally4, which was introduced in March 2020 and made its competitive debut in June, was underlined by winning more than half of the stages contested in the 2020 ERC 3 championship. In total the Fiesta Rally4 claimed a total of 41 stage wins from 79 stages in ERC3 with Torn delivering a staggering 36 stage wins. Honourable mentions must also be given to Martins Sesks, Dennis Radstrom and Martin Laszlo who each contributed to this incredible achievement. 
     
    Maciej Woda, M-Sport Poland team director: “What an amazing ERC season we have had! I speak for everybody back at base in Krakow and on site in Gran Canaria when I say this is the icing on the cake for what has been an incredible year for our Fiesta Rally4. Ken and Kauri have gone from strength to strength on every rally and have really put the Fiesta Rally4 through its paces and it has just continued to perform. I think the win on Rally Islas Canarias only adds more weight to the claim the Fiesta Rally4 is the car to have for any driver looking to win in their national or regional Rally4 championship. Congratulations to everybody involved, in the face of adversity the entire team has proved that anything can be possible. I would like to also say a huge thank you to ERC, Eurosport and FIA for delivering a championship in such difficult circumstances, they are a credit to this sport and we are so grateful for the hard work and effort they put in to make this season happen.”

    Ken Torn, 2020 ERC3/3J Champion: “This is like a dream come true for me, I cannot think of a better way to finish the championship. We have fought hard for this championship as a team, it has been difficult but we didn’t let that stop us. We learned some good lessons for the future on the rally though, which tested us a lot. M-Sport Poland have given us such a strong and reliable car and it has definitely proven itself this season. To deliver the results we have had needs more than just good driving, you need a good co-driver, good car and a great team which we had all year. Thank you to everybody for the support, I suppose we need to start looking at our plans for 2021 now.”
  • M-Sport and Michelin to attend Rally Legend in Oct

    M-Sport and Michelin to attend Rally Legend in Oct

    M-Sport and Michelin will attend Rally Legend in October with their top-specification EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta WRC. Regarded as one of rallying’s most prestigious festivals, the San Marino ‑based event attracts an incredible entry with some of the most exciting and inspiring cars from throughout a rich and celebrated history.

    Meanwhile, M-Sport are delighted to announce the M-Sport Return to Rally Stages – a one-off event taking place in Greystoke Forest on Saturday 22 August 2020. Celebrating all things M-Sport, the entry will be limited to any M‑Sport manufactured Focus or Fiesta, while the event itself will act as an example of how the UK can return to rallying.

    Back in March, Greystoke and the Malcolm Wilson Rally marked the last UK gravel event before COVID-19 brought the industry to a standstill. Five months later, and the Cumbrian forest is set to host the return of competition whilst showcasing how club rallying can return safely and responsibly.

    Plans came about after M-Sport reached out to Motorsport UK to see how they could help get the industry back up and running as quickly as possible. After a number of brainstorming sessions, a day in Greystoke was organised to produce a series of short films explaining the necessary safety measures and advising event organisers how to best combat the effects of COVID-19.

    The M-Sport Stages will showcase these new practices in operation – including the electronic management of information and documentation, socially distanced time controls and the safe recovery of vehicles and crews.

    Organised in conjunction with the West Cumbria and Eden Valley Motor Clubs, the event will run six timed stages across 38 competitive miles – all within the confines of Greystoke forest. The service park will also be situated within the forest complex and, although spectators will unfortunately not be permitted, work is afoot to deliver the best of the action to the public.

    For the first time in the history of all Greystoke-based events, there will be a recce convoy on Friday evening – reminiscent of the legendary Mille Pistes of the early 1980s – and pace notes will be available to purchase from former M-Sport co-driver and Greystoke regular Craig Parry.

    The event will also be a special one for M-Sport as the entry is limited to 45 M-Sport manufactured cars only. This could include everything from the Ford Focus and Ford Fiesta World Rally Cars to the Ford Fiesta ST, S2000, RRC, R1, R2 and R5 as well as the latest Ford Fiesta Rally4 and Ford Fiesta R5 MkII. It will be a showcase of what M-Sport has achieved over the past 20 years – creating an effective ‘Ladder of Opportunity’ with competitive cars across all levels of rallying.

    Further information, regulations and special announcements will be issued on the M-Sport website and fans will be able to follow the action and preparations on the company’s social media platforms.
     
    M-Sport and Michelin achieved one of the sport’s most inspiring success stories when they launched the Fiesta WRC in the 2017 FIA World Rally Championship – a private team from the edge of the English Lake District National Park overcoming the might of three of the world’s largest automotive manufacturers to secure the Driver, Co-driver and Manufacturer Championships.
     
    That achievement would not have been possible without the support of dedicated and long-standing partners like Michelin, and the two companies are delighted to showcase the top-specification Fiesta at Rally Legend. The team will announce which driver will take to the wheel at a later date.
     
    M-Sport Ford Team Principal, Richard Millener, said:
     
    “The Ford Fiesta WRC is one of our most special and successful cars and what we achieved will be remembered for a very long time. But none of it would have been possible without the support of our partners, and it’s a pleasure to be able to showcase it at an event as prestigious as Rally Legend with a partner as valued and respected as Michelin.”

  • Toyota’s Ott Tanak reclaims first place but M-Sport’s Elfyn Evans just 2.3sec off: WRC

    Toyota’s Ott Tanak reclaims first place but M-Sport’s Elfyn Evans just 2.3sec off: WRC

    Ott Tanak takes narrow lead. An FIA image

    Toyota’s Ott Tänak has reclaimed first place on the Tour de Corse but he heads M-Sport’s Elfyn Evans by only 2.3s. Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville in third had finished yesterday’s first leg less than 10s off the lead but is now 17.2 behind Tänak.

    Saturday is the longest day of the rally with a 3-stage loop run twice, which includes the rally’s longest stage: Castagniccia, a 47.18-kilometre test featuring multiple types of asphalt surface and even a section of gravel, making it a special challenge for the competing crews being all on hard compound asphalt tyres.

    Evans started this morning’s loop with an advantage of 4.5s over his Estonian rival but conceded time on all three stages. The Brit first lost 3.7s on the shortest test, Désert des Agriates, leaving a gap of only 0.2s between the two top contenders. A second-fastest time on the challenging Castagniccia was enough for Tänak to retake the lead with a 2.3s advantage.

    As the lead battle further intensified, Neuville was dropping back slightly, unable to keep the pace. The Belgian is now 17.2s off the lead but his gap to team-mate Dani Sordo behind remained relatively steady throughout the morning loop. Sordo dropped time on Cap Corse, the first stage of the morning, but set the fastest time in Castagniccia, which put him 16.1s behind Neuville in fourth place.

    In the battle for fifth, M-Sport’s Teemu Suninen was able to retain his place over reigning FIA World Rally champion Sébastien Ogier on the first two stages but the Finn lost over half a minute in the following stage to the Citroën driver, who showed his class with a stunning run on Castagniccia. By comparison, Esapekka Lappi was 46.9s slower than his Citroën team-mate on this stage.

    Ogier’s strong time, 1.4s off stage winner Sordo, promoted him to fifth. Lappi, however, continued to struggle with understeer on his Citroën C3. He classified 7th overall, 34s behind Suninen in a safe sixth place.

    Nine-time champion Sébastien Loeb understeered wide into a bank approaching a medium left hander on the Castagniccia test. The Frenchman ended up facing the wrong way and lost 20s trying to get his Hyundai i20 going again.

    Loeb is eighth overall but now has the two Toyotas of Kris Meeke and Jari-Matti Latvala trying to chase him down.

    Meeke passed Latvala on the morning’s first test Désert des Agriates and is now up to ninth overall, 49.8s behind Loeb. Latvala is up to 10th, having now cleared the WRC 2 field behind him.

    The 47km Castagniccia stage was particularly tough for the FIA WRC 2 field, with Eric Camilli dropping out of the lead and the top 10 overall after stopping in the stage and losing nearly two minutes.

    Nicolas Ciamin should have inherited the lead from Camilli but he too was caught out and retired. Yoann Bonato, who had been second until being forced to stop on SS8, is now also down the order and it is Fabio Andolfi who is the new unexpected class leader, making an extraordinary jump from sixth to first in WRC 2 in one morning, with Camilli dropping to second.

    M-Sport’s Ford Łukasz Pieniążek now leads the FIA WRC 2 Pro category for M-Sport after Škoda’s Kalle Rovanperä crashed out on Castagniccia.

     

  • MRF Tyres unveils M-Sport Ford Fiesta R5 to be driven by Gaurav Gill in WRC 2

    MRF Tyres unveils M-Sport Ford Fiesta R5 to be driven by Gaurav Gill in WRC 2

    Gaurav Gill (right) and co-driver Glenn Macneall pose before their M-Sport Ford Fiesta R5

    Bengaluru, 31 May 2018: The MRF Tyres today unveiled their M-Sport Fiesta R5 car that will be driven by Indian champion Gaurav Gill with Australian Glenn Macneall as the co-driver. The pair will take part in four rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC 2 category) this season, beginning with the Rally Italia Sardegna (June 7-10).

    The distinctive red and white livery of the Indian tyre manufacturer has been retained as MRF Tyres moves onto the World stage in the non-priority R5 category.

    The Delhi-based 36-year old Gill, a three times FIA Asia Pacific Rally Champion, said: “It is a huge honour for me to represent Team MRF at World Rally Championship level.

    “MRF tyres has evolved a lot over the years and being the best tyre manufacturer in the region and the WRC is the best platform to showcase the product development. To achieve what no Indian tyre manufacturer has ever done before and compete in what is considered to be the most difficult motorsport championship in the world, is a huge achievement.”

    For Macneall, who has competed in 100 WRC events, Rally Italia Sardegna is a return to MRF after many successful years partnering Gill in the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship.

    The car will be run by the UK-based WRC World Championship winning M-Sport outfit. The MRF Tyres Fiesta R5 will be one of four cars they service at Rally Italia Sardegna, alongside the three works WRC cars, including the one piloted by World champion Sebastien Ogier.

    Besides the Rally Italia Sardegna, the MRF Tyres M-Sport Fiesta will also compete in the Neste Rally Finland (July 26-29), Dayinsure Wales Rally GB (October 4-7) and Kennards Hire Rally Australia (November 15-18).

    Prior to joining the WRC, MRF Tyres won nine Asia Pacific Rally Championships and supplies tyres to rally championships across the World.

    A side-on view of the MRF Tyres M-Sport Ford Fiesta R5

    The M-Sport Ford Fiesta R5 specs:

    ENGINE:

    M-Sport developed 1.6 Turbo, direct injection powerplant, FIA regulated 32mm restrictor. Life Racing engine control unit and power management systems.

    BODYSHELL:

    M-Sport designed bespoke roll cage as per FIA R5 regulations. R5 Aero Package

    TRANSMISSION:

    Sadev 5 Speed Sequential Gearbox mated to Sadev front and rear differential units.

    SUSPENSION:

    Front and Rear MacPherson struts with Reiger external reservoir dampers, three way adjustable. Front and rear antil roll-bar options.

    UPRIGHTS:

    Machined Aluminium uprights of a universal design – strengthened suspension links.

    INTERIOR:

    FIA 8862 Standard Competition Seats with 6 point HANS compatible harnesses. AP Racing ‘fly by wire’ fully adjustable pedal box. Life Racing fully functional drivers display controlled by a membrane switch panel.

    FUEL SYSTEM:

    ATL 80 Litre competition standard fuel tank, centrally mounted.

    BRAKES:

    AP Racing Forged 4 piston front and rear calipers. Gravel 300 x 28mm ventilated discs / Asphalt 355 x 32mm ventilated discs. Hydraulic Handbrake.

    WHEELS:

    7”x15” wheels – Gravel / 8” x 18” wheels – Asphalt.

  • M-Sport Ford’s Sebastien Ogier & Julien Ingrassia take 5th Monte-Carlo win: WRC

    M-Sport Ford’s Sebastien Ogier & Julien Ingrassia take 5th Monte-Carlo win: WRC

    Ogier celebrates Monte Carlo win on Sunday. WRC Round1. An M-Sport image

    Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia notched up their fifth consecutive Rallye Monte-Carlo victory this afternoon, their sixth overall win on home soil. The French reigning FIA World Rally Champions arrived back in the Principality 58.3 seconds ahead of Toyota newcomers Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja who finished a career-best on the event. Team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila rounded out the podium on what has been one of the trickiest and incident-packed ‘Montes’ in years.

    After the season-opener Ogier takes an eight-point lead over former team-mate Tänak in the Drivers’ Championship with Latvala and Kris Meeke on equal points, one point further behind. M-Sport Ford and Toyota are also on equal points at the head of the Manufacturers’ Championship, 15 points ahead of Citroën who are in turn four points ahead of Hyundai, the team having a disappointing start to their Championship campaign.

    With just the final two stages to run, Ogier was able to control the pace and the Frenchman was also aware he didn’t have the optimum tyres to fight for victory on the Power Stage. “It’s been a difficult weekend,” he said. “Often in Monte-Carlo, you have to face hard conditions but this was extremely hard. I’ve never struggled so much with tyre choices, but in the end, we win and I’m super happy with that. Every driver did mistakes this weekend; I did too – just a few less.”

    Tänak was delighted with his performance on his debut outing with the Japanese manufacturer. Not prepared to risk his best finish in Monte-Carlo, the Estonian was relieved to start the season with a top result having had a really good feeling with the car and an almost faultless rally. Latvala was also cautious, determined to start the season on a high and kick-start his campaign with important points.

    Behind the leading trio, drama unfolded in the closing two stages. Kris Meeke was able to hold off a charging Thierry Neuville, who won the pair of stages and ultimately came to within 10.7 seconds of overhauling the Briton. Both were set to finish fifth and seventh respectively, until Esapekka Lappi dropped time in the first stage with an off into a snow bank, and then crucially threw away fourth in the Power Stage when he went off the road and plummeted to seventh. Both Meeke and Neuville moved up a position and, with the pace Neuville was setting, he also overhauled Elfyn Evans in the Power Stage to take fifth overall by one second. Bryan Bouffier also had an off-road excursion; he finished eighth with Craig Breen ninth for Citroën.

    Jan Kopecky claimed 10th overall and maximum points in the FIA WRC 2 Championship category, and Enrico Brazzoli won the FIA WRC 3 Championship for two-wheel drive cars.

    The FIA World Rally Championship contenders now head to more snow in the Scandinavian forests for Rally Sweden (15-18 February).

    Rallye Monte-Carlo – Final Provisional Classification (subject to scrutineering)

    1.   Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia Ford Fiesta WRC 4hr 18min 55.5sec
    2.   Ott Tänak / Martin Järveoja Toyota Yaris WRC 4hr 19min 53.8sec
    3.   Jari-Matti Latvala / Miikka Anttila Toyota Yaris WRC 4hr 20min 47.5sec
    4.   Kris Meeke / Paul Nagle Citroën C3 WRC 4hr 23min 38.6sec
    5.   Thierry Neuville / Nicolas Gilsoul Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 4hr 23min 49.3sec
    6.   Elfyn Evans / Daniel Barritt Ford Fiesta WRC 4hr 23min 50.3sec
    7.   Esapekka Lappi / Janne Ferm Toyota Yaris WRC 4hr 23min 53.0sec
    8.   Bryan Bouffier / Xavier Panseri Ford Fiesta WRC 4hr 26min 35.0sec
    9.   Craig Breen / Scott Martin Citroën C3 WRC 4hr 28min 02.2sec
    10. Jan Kopecky / Pavel Dresler Škoda Fabia R5 4hr 35min 38.5sec
  • Defending champ Ogier-Ingrassia lead after opening night stages: Rallye Monte-Carlo, WRC

    Defending champ Ogier-Ingrassia lead after opening night stages: Rallye Monte-Carlo, WRC

    S Ogier and navigator Ingrassia lead after first round in the Rally Monte Carlo, the season opener of the WRC on Wednesday. An M-Sport Ford Rally team image

    Reigning FIA World Rally Champion Sébastien Ogier has made the perfect start to Rallye Monte-Carlo, the Frenchman scooping the first two stage wins and a 17.3 second lead after Thursday’s opening night stages. Andreas Mikkelsen heads Hyundai’s challenge in second with team-mate Dani Sordo third a further 8.3 seconds adrift of the Norwegian.

    “M-Sport Ford World Rally Team’s Ogier and co-driver Julien Ingrassia lead the first round with a 17.3-second advantage aboard their EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta WRC.

    “As five-time winners of the prestigious event, the pairing knows exactly what it takes to master the notoriously challenging conditions. This year’s fixture threw up an immensely challenging opener – Sisteron, in reverse, in the dark – but Ogier and Ingrassia did not falter,” added a Ford Team release.

    Sébastien Ogier (1st) said:

    “We knew it would be tough to cross the icy section with slick tyres and we actually had a spin there. I think almost everyone had a moment in there, but luckily we didn’t lose too much time. The rest of the stage was also very tricky with the grip changing all the time and it was challenging to know where you could and couldn’t push. 

    “I was happy with the car and in these conditions and you need to be comfortable or you don’t have any chance to be fast. There are still some small things here and there that we can do to improve, but I’m happy and it’s a good start.” 

    The eagerly awaited 2018 FIA World Rally Championship kicked off this evening in Monaco, the crews leaving the famous Casino Square late afternoon and then heading directly into two daunting stages en route back to the overnight halt in Gap. Ogier was on the pace immediately, despite a low-speed spin on sheet ice, and the Gap-born driver overnights happy with his early performance. Mikkelsen, in his first full season with Hyundai, lost the brakes in the first stage but sits just 17.3 seconds adrift and ahead of Sordo who returns to the Championship with his former co-driver Carlos del Barrio.

    Behind the leading trio, Esapekka Lappi surprisingly heads the trio of Toyota drivers. The Finn is on a mission not to make mistakes and while admitting his pace wasn’t the best, he was happy his confidence was building in tricky conditions. Toyota newcomer, Ott Tänak, is five seconds further behind in fifth having hit a bank in the first stage and suffering from massive understeer. Jari-Matti Latvala, in the third Yaris WRC, spun twice and played a gamble with three super soft tyres, admitting he needed to try something different. Craig Breen is seventh in the lead Citroën C3 WRC but the Irish driver stalled and got stuck in snow in the first stage and then struggled in the second when he ran out of time to set the tyre pressures before the start; a nightmare start to his 2018 campaign. Bryan Bouffier, drafted into the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team for this event, is eighth and Kris Meeke ninth. The Northern Irishman made a stupid mistake in the opener, spinning and then reversing into a ditch which cost him a precious minute. Eric Camilli holds 10th overall and leads the FIA WRC 2 Championship contenders ahead of Jan Kopecky.

    Elfyn Evans has also had a bad start and is down in 16th overall, the Welshman picking up a puncture which he had to stop and change. Thierry Neuville fared even worse, the Belgian one place behind after locking up and skidding into a snow bank.

    The FIA WRC 3 Championship is being led by Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Franceschi in a Fiesta R2T.

    Rallye Monte-Carlo – Provisional results after Section 1

    1.   Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia Ford Fiesta WRC 38min 09.8sec
    2.   Andreas Mikkelsen / Anders Jæger Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 38min 27.1sec
    3.   Dani Sordo / Carlos del Barrio Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 38min 35.4sec
    4.   Esapekka Lappi / Janne Ferm Toyota Yaris WRC 38min 47.2sec
    5.   Ott Tänak / Martin Järveoja Toyota Yaris WRC 38min 52.2sec
    6.   Jari-Matti Latvala / Miikka Anttila Toyota Yaris WRC 39min 05.2sec
    7.   Craig Breen / Scott Martin Citroën C3 WRC 39min 12.1sec
    8.   Bryan Bouffier / Xavier Panseri Ford Fiesta WRC 40min 00.8sec
    9.   Kris Meeke / Paul Nagle Citroën C3 WRC 40min 22.5sec
    10. Eric Camilli / Benjamin Veillas Ford Fiesta R5 40min 52.0sec

  • M-Sport Ford World Rally Team ready for Season Opener in Monte Carlo

    CARDS ON THE TABLE

    FOR SEASON OPENER IN MONTE-CARLO

    M-Sport Ford World Rally Team are ready to put their cards on the table for the 2018 FIA World Rally Championship. Taking to the wheel of the EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta WRC at the traditional season opener, Sébastien Ogier, Elfyn Evans and Bryan Bouffier are prepared to fight for one of rallying’s most sought-after accolades – a Rallye Monte-Carlo victory.

    The team completed two comprehensive test sessions in anticipation – a development test at the end of last year followed by a more targeted set-up session last week. A thrilling competition awaits, and the Cumbrian squad are determined to put their best foot forward with the first roll of the dice.

    RALLYE MONTE-CARLO

    AN ICONIC CHALLENGE

    There’s nothing quite like a victory at Rallye Monte-Carlo. It’s something every driver wants to achieve and something everyone will be pushing for this week.

    As an iconic fixture in the FIA World Rally Championship, the Monegasque event represents the ultimate challenge – changeable mountain weather bringing unpredictable conditions that can see the crews encounter snow, ice and dry asphalt in a single stage.

    Tyre choices can often prove pivotal and the crews will have to decipher the best combination – and often the best compromise. It is, in essence, the definitive test of strategy.

    Facing the challenge head on, M-Sport Ford will have no fewer than 22 team members solely responsible for reporting the conditions. From the weather crews to famous names such as Simon Jean Joseph, Phil Mills and Jarmo Lehtinen to name but a few in the gravel crews, every effort is made to stay a step ahead.

    This year the challenge will be intensified as the rally gets underway with one of the sport’s most daunting stages – Sisteron, in reverse, in the dark.

    As heart-rates rise on the start line, a challenging stage will launch a thrilling start to the 2018 season.

    MALCOLM WILSON

    THE MAN BEHIND THE TEAM

    Following the most successful season in M-Sport’s history, Team Principal Malcolm Wilson OBE is determined to see the team continue in the same vein this year. The team are resolute on defending their FIA World Rally Championship titles but remain acutely aware that the competition will be stronger than ever.

    Team Principal, Malcolm Wilson OBE, said:

    “Last year saw us enjoy our most successful season in motorsport and that’s something that we want to see continue in 2018. The hard work has not stopped and everyone has been working around the clock to ensure that we start our title defence on a high.

    “We have completed two comprehensive test sessions and the feeling amongst the team is more determined than ever. It might not be possible to make huge gains within the regulations, but we have been working with our partners to enhance what was already an extremely strong package.

    “Every team is capable of securing the ultimate prize this year and I am expecting the competition to be closer than ever. It’s so difficult to predict who will even come out on top this week, and that in itself is fantastic for the sport. 

    “In Sébastien, Elfyn and Bryan we have three very competent and intelligent drivers who are all more than capable of securing a Monte-Carlo victory. That has to be our aim so let’s see what happens. Like every rally fan, I am very much looking forward to the start of this exciting new season.”

    OGIER AND INGRASSIA

    THE FIVE-TIME WORLD CHAMPIONS

    Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia head into 2018 as the crew to beat – the reigning World Champions and the reigning Rallye Monte-Carlo victors. The Monegasque event may be notoriously difficult to predict, but few would bet against the Frenchmen.

    Having contested the rally on six previous occasions, they have five victories to their name – as part of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in 2009 and unbeaten in the WRC since 2014.

    Previous starts: 8
    Previous WRC starts: 6
    Best result: 1st (2017, 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2009)
    Best WRC result: 1st (2017, 2016, 2015 and 2014)

    Sébastien Ogier said:

    “We start the new season with an event that is always a real highlight for me – Rallye Monte-Carlo. As my home event, I always want to give my best and challenge for the top results.

    “We started something great here last year and want to try and build on that in 2018. We will need to work hard as the competition will be very tough. Every team has a winning car and a winning driver so everyone is a threat and we need to be ready right from the start.

    “It’s such a challenging start to the season – the ultimate test with extreme conditions that can see us go from dry Tarmac to pure ice and snow in the space of a single stage. It’s certainly not easy, but that’s what makes a good result here so rewarding.

    “We’ll start this year with what could be the biggest challenge of the entire rally – Sisteron, in reverse, in the dark. It doesn’t get much tougher than that, but that’s Monte. It’s always a challenge and that will be the case from the very first stage this year.”

    EVANS AND BARRITT

    THE LATEST WINNING PARTNERSHIP

    After securing their maiden victory on home soil at last year’s Dayinsure Wales Rally GB, Elfyn Evans and Daniel Barritt are hungry for more and could well be the dark horse for a championship challenge in 2018.

    Having contested Rallye Monte-Carlo on four previous occasions, the pairing have collated good knowledge and often shown promising speed through the challenging terrain – just 0.5 seconds shy of a stage win on the third stage of their joint world rally car debut in 2014 and posting a string of three fastest stage times more recently in 2017.

    Previous starts: 4
    Best result: 6th (2017)

    Elfyn Evans said:

    “Rallye Monte-Carlo is one of those events that every driver looks forward to. I’ve always said that it offers some of the best Tarmac roads in the world, but at this time of year the conditions make it a true challenge and the ultimate test of strategy. To do well, you really do need to get absolutely everything right.

    “We’ve just completed two days of testing in mixed conditions. The road was constantly evolving which is great when it comes to getting a flavour for everything we’ve come to expect on a rally like this, but it can also be a bit of a double-edged sword at times – making it difficult to judge which direction to go in terms of set-up.

    “Overall, I would say that we had two pretty good tests and that we are feeling fairly well prepared. Monte can always be a bit of a lottery and it can go either way, but we’re definitely ready to get the season started. We want to start the year on a high, so we’ll give it our best and see what happens.”

    BOUFFIER AND DEGOUT

    THE EXPERIENCE AND THE KNOWLEDGE

    Joining the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team for Rallye Monte-Carlo, Bryan Bouffier’s extensive knowledge could prove invaluable. As a previous winner of the prestigious event, the Frenchman knows what it takes to succeed and has more experience than most when it comes to reading the changeable conditions.

    This will however be his first time behind the wheel of a new-generation world rally car. To prepare for his latest debut, Bouffier took to the co-drivers’ seat alongside Sébastien Ogier during last week’s test. Taking note of the World Champion’s advice, he and co-driver Jérôme Degout then completed a full day of testing so as to be best prepared for the challenges ahead.

    Previous starts: 8
    Previous WRC starts: 6
    Best result: 1st (2011)
    Best WRC result: 2nd (2014)

    Bryan Bouffier said:

    “Since learning that I would be driving the Ford Fiesta WRC, Rallye Monte-Carlo could not come soon enough! It’s one of my favourite events and having the opportunity to do it in one of these new generation world rally cars – the championship-winning car – is a dream come true.

    “I have a lot of experience at Rallye Monte-Carlo which helps when it comes to reading the road and adapting the pace to suit the conditions, but this event is never easy. It’s one of the toughest events on the calendar and to do well you need to drive a clever rally by making the right calls on the tyres and finding the right balance between pushing hard and being more cautious.

    “As one of the ‘French’ events, I feel at home at Rallye Monte-Carlo and am really looking forward to it. First and foremost, we want to have fun. We’ll start in a relaxed frame of mind and if we could help the team by scoring some good points for the manufacturers’ championship it would be amazing.”

    ELSEWHERE

    IN THE TEAM

    Éric Camilli and Teemu Suninen will both take to the wheel of the EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta R5 as part of the FIA World Rally Championship’s premier support series – WRC 2. Here’s what they had to say ahead of Rallye Monte-Carlo.

    Éric Camilli said:

    “Rallye Monte-Carlo is my home event and one that I always look forward to. This will be my fourth time here and I hope that experience will help. Anything can happen on the Monte, but that added knowledge should help when it comes to reading the road and knowing when to push and when to be more cautious.

    “The competition will be really tough, but I hope that we can pull everything together for a strong result. This rally is very unforgiving so we will need to work hard and make all the right choices. We will need to be clever and give it our very best.”

    Teemu Suninen said:

    “This is only my second attempt at Rallye Monte-Carlo so I don’t have a vast amount of experience on these roads. My main aim is to drive well even if the conditions are very challenging – which they usually are on this rally!  The WRC 2 category will be very competitive, but we will give it our best and aim to learn as much as we can.

    “I feel really happy at M-Sport with my excellent team mates. They are all very experienced and there is no better driver to learn from than Sébastien Ogier. Everyone is very open when it comes to help and advice, so it is the best place for me to be and improve my driving.”

    eom/M-Sport press release posted by David Bodapati

  • M-Sport World Rally Team makes history wins 2 World titles: WRC

    The M-Sport World Rally Team made history on Sunday by scooping two FIA World Rally Championship titles and the overall rally victory to claim a hat-trick celebration at the end of Wales Rally GB. Elfyn Evans and Daniel Barritt became the first Britons to win Rally of Great Britain since Richard Burns in 2000, and Evans is the first Welsh driver to win the event in its WRC history. Team-mates Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia also claimed an impressive fifth world title by just one tenth of a second in the Fiesta WRC for M-Sport, the team also clinching the FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers ahead of three of the world’s largest car manufacturers.

    The 2017 FIA World Rally Championship season has seen some of the closest competition in years. With the debut of the new world rally cars, a new manufacturer entering and drivers swapping teams, no fewer than seven different winners have stood on the top step of the podium over 12 events. Remarkably, Evans also joins Ott Tänak and Esapekka Lappi as one of three rookie WRC winners over the course of the campaign. For M-Sport, its title victory has come from having at least one car on the podium on every event so far this season and the British-based team has made history by winning its first manufacturers’ title – notwithstanding victories with Ford in 2006 and 2007 – and first-ever  drivers’ crown.

    Evans had a comfortable advantage going into the closing five stages and 41.17 competitive kilometres, but on Rally GB nothing is taken for granted over the fast, wet and muddy Welsh forestry stages. The Welshman pushed on, maintaining his weekend-long dominant performance to claim a maiden WRC victory on home soil and become only the fourth British driver – alongside Roger Clark, Colin McRae and Richard Burns – to win their home round of the Championship.

    Behind Evans and his 37.3-second winning margin, the fight for second and the Championship title was one of the closest and most intense of the season, with second to fifth positions split by just 12.9 seconds. Thierry Neuville managed to overhaul Ogier in the day’s opener, keeping his title bid alive in second position but also looking behind at the battle for fourth between Jari-Matti Latvala and team-mate Andreas Mikkelsen, who had the potential to help his bid for a maiden title. While both were closing on third-placed Ogier, the pair ran out of kilometres to pass the Frenchman and potentially influence the outcome. Ogier’s third position, coupled with two points in the closing Power Stage, was enough to stop the fight going to the final round in Australia. Astoundingly, he and co-driver Julien Ingrassia won their fifth FIA World Rally Championship titles by just one tenth of second with fourth position in the Power Stage.

    Mikkelsen managed to overhaul Latvala in the penultimate stage when the Finnish Toyota driver struggled for grip, but the pair continued their battle to the finish line and ended the rally split by only five-tenths of a second. Having dropped down the order in the fog last night, Ott Tänak finished sixth and Britain’s Kris Meeke was seventh, a further 18.2 seconds adrift, the Ulsterman enjoying a good run in the C3 WRC. Hayden Paddon, Esapekka Lappi and Dani Sordo rounded off the top 10.

    In the FIA WRC 2 Championship category, Pontus Tidemand provisionally wrapped up the title in Germany earlier in the season. He took another win – his fifth of the season – and finished nearly two minutes ahead of France’s Eric Camilli. WRC 3 was won by runaway leader Raphaël Astier.

    The FIA World Rally Championship draws to its close in three weeks’ time as the contenders head down under for Rally Australia (16-19 November).

    Wales Rally GB – Final Unofficial Results (subject to scrutineering)

    1.   Eflyn Evans / Daniel Barritt Ford Fiesta WRC 2hr 57min 00.6sec
    2.   Thierry Neuville / Nicolas Gilsoul Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 2hr 57min 37.9sec
    3.   Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia Ford Fiesta WRC 2hr 57min 45.8sec
    4.   Andreas Mikkelsen / Anders Jæger Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 2hr 57min 50.4sec
    5.   Jari-Matti Latvala / Miikka Anttila Toyota Yaris WRC 2hr 57min 50.9sec
    6.   Ott Tänak / Martin Järveoja Ford Fiesta WRC 2hr 58min 02.9sec
    7.   Kris Meeke / Paul Nagle Citroën C3 WRC 2hr 58min 21.1sec
    8.   Hayden Paddon / Sebastian Marshall Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 2hr 59min 16.9sec
    9.   Esapekka Lappi / Janne Ferm Toyota Yaris WRC 2hr 59min 47.1sec
    10. Dani Sordo / Marc Marti Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 3hr 00min 51.1sec

    * Subject to the official publication of the results by the FIA

  • Interview with Chris Williams, the man behind the Ford Fiesta WRC

    Interview with Chris Williams, the man behind the Ford Fiesta WRC

    Head of Rally Engineering at M-Sport and the man behind the all-new Ford Fiesta WRC, Chris Williams gives us his thoughts ahead of Rallye Monte-Carlo.

    When did work begin on the Ford Fiesta WRC?

    “We’ve had people working on the concept since the middle of 2015. As with any new car, the first job is to get an understanding of the regulations and where we can explore new ideas or make changes. This was particularly hard at the outset as the regulations were very fluid.”

    How much freedom did the new regulations allow?

    “These new regulations have definitely provided greater scope for doing something different – and you can see that in the aerodynamics alone. Working in secrecy each team has come up with something slightly different, although there are some themes that are common amongst cars.

    “We set an aero balance target and we’ve achieved that. You constantly have to balance the equation of drag, downforce, durability and robustness. We’re looking for efficiency all around and everyone has had to calculate what risks they’re willing to take when it comes to the balance between performance and durability.”

    How much of the Fiesta WRC has been designed from scratch?

    “A lot is the simple answer. Almost every part of the car has been specifically optimized for this project with very little if any compromise. We’ve been focused to build the best car we possibly can and we’ve had everything we needed to get the job done.

    “If we take the transmission as an example, the old unit was taken from the Ford Fiesta S2000 and developed for use in WRC. This year, the transmission has been specifically designed and optimised purely as a component for this car and the new regulations.”

    Has the development process gone to plan?

    “It’s involved a lot of hard work. We have a small, but strong team of people working around the clock behind the scenes. The design guys have been flat-out and we are pretty hopeful we can punch above our weight.

    “We implemented as much as we possibly could. With any new car there are always a few areas that you would have liked to have investigated further if time allowed, but I think that is the same for everyone. Anything that we thought we had an advantage on has been incorporated.

    “We have put absolutely everything we could into this project. At this point it’s hard to gauge how competitive the car will be, but we will soon see! We’ve definitely made a huge step up from our previous car.”

    What’s it like to have the four-time World Champion behind the wheel of the Fiesta WRC?

    “It brings a lot of pressure for sure, but it also brings a massive opportunity. The motivation here has stepped up two or three notches and everyone is extremely driven to deliver the very best over the course of the season.

    “I think it’s probably fair to say that everyone was in need of a little boost at the end of last year, and Sébastien [Ogier] and Julien [Ingrassia] have certainly provided that. They got in the car and said yes, that’s a 2017 world rally car, so that’s a very good start.”

    What will the atmosphere in the team by like at the start of Rallye Monte-Carlo?

    “I don’t think we’ll sleep at all before the rally starts! Waiting for that first split time to come through will be a very anxious moment and it will be interesting to see if it will be a straight fight or if the conditions play a deciding factor.

    “But, we’ve got the best chance that we’ve had in years. We’ve got the best drivers that we could possibly get and we need to go out there and do well. It’s as simple as that, we need to deliver, so the pressure is on!”

    eom/David

    Seb Ogier will be behind the wheel of an all-new Ford Fiesta for the WRC 2017 season with M-Sport. An M-Sport image