M-Sport Ford World Rally Team’s three EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta WRCs are cleared for take-off and ready to tackle the jumps and ‘yumps’ of one of the most eagerly-awaited events on the FIA World Rally Championship calendar – Neste Rally Finland.
Returning after a six-week break, the team are second in the manufacturers’ championship with Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia also holding second place in the driver and co-driver standings. Naturally, the Cumbrian squad have their sights firmly fixed on reducing the gap and reining in their rivals.
Giving Ogier and Ingrassia their best chance of a strong result, the number one Fiesta will be fitted with a new aero package to best tackle Finland’s high-speed forests. Sporting a new rear bumper and diffuser for more efficient downforce, the latest evolution is the first visual example of the on-going development between M-Sport and Ford Performance.
Having brought the development to the car in record time, availability restraints mean that only one of the EcoBoost-powered Fiestas will run the latest evolution in Finland, but all three cars remain capable of challenging for the very top results – Elfyn Evans and Teemu Suninen both delivering impressive performances at the event just 12 months previously.
Team Principal, Malcolm Wilson OBE, said:
“It’s been a long break but the hard work hasn’t stopped and the team have been working around the clock to ensure that we had the new aero ready for Finland. It’s just on the one car for the moment, but we’re confident that it will give Sébastien and Julien that little bit extra.
“Our goal for the second half of the season is to reduce the gap to our rivals in all three championships. We’re certainly going to give it our best and I’m confident that we can deliver some strong results over the remaining events – starting in Finland.
“We all know how strong the competition will be, but the Fiesta performed extremely well here last year and we have three drivers who are all more than capable of challenging for the very top results. Sébastien is a previous winner in Finland, Elfyn was second here last year and Teemu came so close to a home podium on what was only his second ever outing in a world rally car.
“I have no doubt that another thrilling Rally Finland awaits, and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can deliver this time round.”
Rally Finland is the fastest event on the FIA World Rally Championship calendar. Commonly known as the Gravel Grand Prix, 11 of the 12 fastest rallies in history were held on these blisteringly quick roads and previous winners have been written into rally folklore.
The fast roads are characterised by huge jumps and the crews must deliver pin-point accuracy in pursuit of the top results – technical roads and blind corners over crests demanding the upmost precision.
The pacenotes have to be word perfect, and the set-up has to instil confidence. The unforgiving route does not suffer mistakes and the gaps between the competitors are so close that only a perfect drive is worthy of the top-step of the podium.
This year’s action covers 317.26 kilometres across 23 stomach-churning stages. The action begins on Thursday evening and, in the absence of the legendary Ouninpohja, Ruuhimäki and its closing sequence of jumps may well become the signature stage – closing the rally as the points-paying Power Stage.