WRC A FULL 2014

A NEW LOOK FOR A NEW SEASON: M-SPORT’S 2014 LIVERY REVEALED

11 January 2014

With the 2014 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) fast approaching, the M-Sport World Rally Team is proud to reveal its all-new livery for the year ahead. The innovative blue and black Ford Fiesta RS WRC will be piloted by Mikko Hirvonen and Elfyn Evans on all 13 rounds of the up-coming season.

The new design was revealed with a live wrapping in conjunction with partners 3M Peltor at the UK’s Autosport Show this weekend. Spectators were able to watch the design develop as 3M’s team applied the vinyl throughout the show.

As in previous years, M-Sport receives technical support from the Ford Motor Company. The team’s range of award-winning rally cars continue to draw strength from the Blue Oval’s advanced EcoBoost technology – as used on latest production models – and the 2014 Fiesta RS WRCs will be adorned with the company’s EcoBoost branding.
The new design also pays tribute to M-Sport’s long-established team partners – Castrol and Michelin – as well as our highly-valued trade partners. All have been integral to the team’s past success and their presence on the new-look Fiesta acknowledges their continued support and technical expertise.

Opting for a mix of youth and experience in the driver line-up, the new-look M-Sport World Rally Team will make its first appearance on the stages at next week’s traditional season-opener: Rallye Monte-Carlo.

Team Principal, Malcolm Wilson OBE, said:

“I’m very happy to reveal the new 2014 livery for the M-Sport World Rally Team. There has been a lot of hard work to get to this point, and I need to commend the efforts of every single member of our dedicated team.

“I am also delighted to announce that we will continue our long and successful partnership with our team partners, Castrol and Michelin, as well as our valued trade partners. We also continue our excellent working relationship with the Ford Motor Company whose invaluable technical support continues to aid M-Sport in the design and development of our award-winning range of Fiesta rally cars.”

M-SPORT BUILD MOMENTUM FOR MONTE

Marking the start of the 2014 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), Rallye Monte-Carlo provides the ultimate test of ability and strategy. With a mix of youth and experience, the two M-Sport World Rally Team crews may have differing objectives, but each will be looking to make their mark amongst the Principality’s coastal glamour and challenging terrain.

Building momentum for the season’s traditional opener, the team spent the week testing on roads surrounding the rally route – gauging the likely conditions and deciphering how to best cope with the trials ahead.

With constant changes in grip and unpredictable forecasts, the key to success is widely regarded as ‘confidence in compromise’. Victory would be no mean feat and the rally can be won and lost on shrewd tyre selection – requiring the team to master the perfect configuration. Next week’s rally is the only event of the year where crews will have four Michelin compounds to choose from – the soft and supersoft Pilot Sport and the studded and non-studded Pilot Alpin – which makes the optimum formation all the more challenging to find.
In a change from recent years, this year’s fixture will see a move from the previous base in Valence, to the Alpine town of Gap. The change of location brings a revised route which may level the playing field to some extent, but experience could still prove pivotal. The very nature of the rally calls for an understanding of the region’s ever-changing conditions, and that fact holds M-Sport’s returning heroes in good stead.

Making a welcome return to the M-Sport squad, Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen know what it takes to tame Monte’s treacherous Tarmac. This will be the Finns’ ninth appearance, making them one of the event’s most experienced crews. In fact only Francois Delecour can boast more Monte-Carlo appearances.

Hirvonen’s knowledgeable skills have proved fruitful in the past. Having won the event behind the wheel of a Ford Fiesta S2000 in 2010, and claiming the runner-up spot as part of the WRC in 2008, the Finn should not be discounted for a strong result. Reunited with the Ford Fiesta RS WRC, Hirvonen will be looking towards the podium and has the potential to upset the status quo next week.

In contrast, Elfyn Evans will be making his maiden Monte-Carlo outing on what is only his second time behind the wheel of a Fiesta RS WRC. The first test of the season will be a real baptism of fire for the young Welshman, but with expert guidance from the team as well as Hirvonen, Lehtinen and his own co-driver Daniel Barritt, he is in safe hands. All have been victorious at the event in the past, Barritt navigating Fumio Nutahara to the Production World Rally Championship win in 2006.

Ultimately however, next week will be a journey of discovery for Evans. With the added challenge of no Rally 2 regulations – which allow competitors to restart after a non-finish the following day – the Welshman will be determined to make Sunday’s finish ramp; his goal to gain as much knowledge and experience of the specialist stages as possible.

Mikko Hirvonen said:

“I’m really excited to be back with the team and back in the Fiesta [RS WRC]. As soon as we got back behind the wheel we had a good feeling with the car and it is that kind of thing that can really help. Of course there is always room for more testing and it would have been nice to have a few more days after two years away, but I feel as though we are ready for the challenge.

“Monte-Carlo is a difficult event. The conditions can be so changeable and you often have to make compromises with the tyres. We didn’t have much snow for our test and it was actually quite mild, so if the weather stays like that I would be quite happy.

“We need to see what happens, but a podium will definitely be in my mind. This season will be a little different, and I think we can look to take a few risks in the beginning. We need to see what happens, but I am here to be competitive and if we can secure a podium finish it would be a very good result for us.”

Elfyn Evans said:

“Our approach for this event will be to gain as much knowledge as we can. There is no doubting that it will be a difficult start to the year, but I am really looking forward to the challenge. We’re here to learn and to make the most of this opportunity for the years to come.

“Monte is known to be a bit of a lottery. The conditions can be really unpredictable and it will also be the first time that I have had to work with an ice note crew, so that might take some getting used to. We started testing earlier this week. We had some really tricky conditions on the first day, but we were able to run a lot of different variations with the tyres which should hopefully see us well prepared for anything the Monte has to offer.

“Of course we all understand how unforgiving this event can be. I’ve only ever driven the Fiesta RS WRC on gravel in competition, so our main objective will be to make it to the finish ramp with as much experience as possible.”

KUBICA READY FOR MONTE DEBUT

As the 2014 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) embarks on the first round of the season next week, so too will Robert Kubica and Maciej Szczepaniak make their competitive debut behind the wheel of their RK M-Sport World Rally Team Ford Fiesta RS WRC.

As a weekend of firsts, next weekend’s fixture will also mark the Pole’s maiden outing at the championship’s traditional opener. As one of the most challenging events of the year, Rallye Monte-Carlo is famed for its unforgiving stages – treacherous roads littered with a combination of ice, snow and dry asphalt.

Success is often found in compromise, and a daunting task awaits the Formula One race winner as he gets to grips with both his new machinery and the changeable conditions on offer. Of course there are few individuals whose dedication and passion are as high, and Kubica will be keen to make the most of his debut – gaining experience and confidence with each new kilometre.
The Pole certainly collected a wealth of experience at last weekend’s Internationale Jänner Rallye. As the first round of the European Rally Championship, the Austrian event provided the perfect pre-season warm-up with conditions similar to those traditionally found in the Principality: and Kubica coped with them supremely, securing victory on his competitive debut with the Fiesta.

He and the team managed their tyre strategy brilliantly. Piloting a Ford Fiesta RRC, he and Szczepaniak went into the final stage with a 11.8 second deficit to make-up. Opting for the optimum tyre choice, Kubica took half a minute out of his rival to secure the win by an impressive 19.9 seconds.

As he takes to the wheel of the Fiesta in its WRC guise, the lessons in strategy and precision driving will hold the Pole in good stead as he looks to make the most of his WRC debut with the M-Sport team.

Robert Kubica said:

“As a new chapter in my rally career begins, I am really looking forward to next week’s Rallye Monte-Carlo. It is a big challenge that should never be underestimated. My priority is to gain priceless experience while I participate there for the first time.”

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