Photo by: Ford Motor Company
WILSON TO MAKE A WELCOME RETURN ON HOME EVENT
Out of action since January’s opening round in Monte-Carlo, M-Sport is pleased to announce that the British pairing of Matthew Wilson and Scott Martin will make a welcome return to the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) on their home event at Wales Rally GB (13 – 16 September).
Back behind the wheel of a Ford Fiesta RS WRC, Wilson will compete as part of the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team alongside regular entrants Ott Tänak and Evgeny Novikov. With backing from Invest in Cumbria, Britain’s Energy Coast Cumbria and In-Cumbria as well as on-going discussions with various other Cumbrian firms, the 25-year-old will sport a brand-new livery which truly identifies his Cumbrian roots and highlights the county’s ever-growing commercial prowess.
As the only British driver in the WRC, Wilson has a strong track-record at his home event with its fast and technical gravel stages making it a firm favourite amongst drivers and spectators alike. Formerly known as the RAC Rally and first run in 1932, Wales Rally GB is one of the oldest rallies in the world and one of the UK’s most prestigious sporting events. A popular fixture on the WRC calendar since the inaugural championship in 1973, the tree-lined gravel stages and slippery forest roads form the ultimate test of man and machine.
Never out of the top-ten on his previous five ventures to the event, Wilson claimed fifth position last year as Ford cars occupied eight of the first nine places – an accomplishment never before achieved by a manufacturer in the WRC. With the home crowd behind him, Wilson will be out to impress and is looking to replicate his previous successes with another strong result on his long-awaited return.
More information and the livery of Wilson’s M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Ford Fiesta RS WRC will be released in the lead-up to the event.
Matthew Wilson said:
“It will be fantastic to get back to the WRC. I have been waiting for this for a long time and to have my return [to the championship] on my home event is something very special.
“I am very proud of my Cumbrian roots and to have pretty much everything on this project from Cumbria is fantastic. Obviously both Scott [Martin] and myself are Cumbrians born-and-bred, the car has been built here at M-Sport [in Cumbria] and to have the support of so many local organisations is very encouraging.
“Of course we will have a lot of work to do in the lead-up to the event. I’ve not competed on any gravel rallies this year and we’ll need to work hard to be on the pace from the off. But I am really looking forward to getting back [behind the wheel] and hopefully we can achieve the same as last year and bring home a good result for the British fans.”
Source: M-Sport Ford
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