Ford Galp Energia Racing team is ready for 2002

Portuguese 2002 Rally Season
All or nothing for Ford Galp Energia Racing Team

Lisbon (Portugal), February 6, 2002 - One year after the start of the Ford Galp Energia Racing project, the team is ready to repeat its presence on the 2002 Portuguese Rally Championship, searching for both titles that have then escape Rui Madeira and Fernando Prata, on the drivers league, and also Ford on the makes series.

For such, the team will challenge for the victory on all the 10 events of the Portuguese Rally season. For both drivers, as it happened last year, there's one of the most competitive machines within the present world rally cars, a Ford Focus WRC. The team also plans to participate at the Catalunya/Costa Brava Rally, the Spanish WRC event, while being part of Ford Rallye Sport works rally squad.

As for sponsors, Ford Lusitana will maintain its partnership with Galp Energia, the national oil company that has recently changes its whole brand image both in terms of colors and contents. Due to the commercial success of the Focus model within the Portuguese market and also because it considers the project as very beneficial to the broadening of brand image, mainly a winning image, also the Ford Dealer Network will maintain its presence as the team's main sponsor.

"A year ago we have stated that the project dimension and the warranties that it offered were the main reasons so these ventures would come true, as all the developed efforts between the partners would have its main return through the sporting results ", said Anabela Correia, Ford Galp Energia Racing team director. "Due to the reasons we all know, although we had a splendid season start - best Portuguese team at the Tap/Rali of Portugal, followed by two overall wins on two other events - the rest of Ford Galp Energia Racing season was somewhat tricky. So, for 2002 we want to invert that situation and build a momentum that allows us, on an initial stage, to fight for victories, gaining the necessary points that lead us towards the title in dispute".

Continuing as team supporters on the 2002 Portuguese Rally season there's the company's financial group Ford Credit, Ogilvy advertising company, DNC Publicidade, Sacoor, TMN and Rockport. In terms of logistic, the Ford Galp Energia Racing team will continue divided between the work done in house by its Portuguese members and that one performed by M-Sport, while preparing the Ford Focus WRC.

"The high competitiveness of our Ford Focus WRC was itself a positive remark towards its features as a WRC. Due to the evolution performed meanwhile, with novelties among the bigger disk brakes, the gearbox with electro-hydraulically controlled shift option and the engine itself, besides the arrival of Michelin as tyre supplier, we are convinced that Rui Madeira and Fernando Prata have all it takes to fight for victories."

All is now ready for the big start at the Ford Galp Energia Racing ranks. The opening match with the competitors will take place at next weekend's Casino da Póvoa Rally, the season opener of a Championship that will have nine other events.

-fger-