CHAMPIONSHIP-WINNING WEEKEND FOR M-SPORT, TAKE TWO

Following last weekend’s championship winning success, M-Sport continued the trend this weekend – the company’s range of Ford Fiesta rally cars claiming a further two titles alongside nine rally victories and 27 podiums.

In Jordan, Nasser Al-Attiyah confirmed his 11th FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) with an emphatic start-to-finish victory behind the wheel of his trusted Ford Fiesta RRC.

Winning the event by a huge 29 minutes and 31 seconds ahead of fellow countryman and Fiesta RRC driver Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari, the Qatari won all but three special stages on his way to his 59th MERC victory and 11th MERC title.

Al-Attiyah wasn’t the only Fiesta driver securing championship success. In South Africa, Mark Cronje piloted his Ford Fiesta S2000 to victory and championship glory at the Polokwane Motor Rally.

The South African has taken his Fiesta S2000 to five victories and seven podium finishes over the course of the season, and brought his year to a sensational close – with rally victory and championship laurels.

There were also six victories for M-Sport’s latest global rally car – the Ford Fiesta R5. In Portugal, Carlos Vieira was victorious at the Rali de Viana do Castelo. In Spain, Santiago Carnicer sprayed the winning champagne at Rallye Ciutat de Xixona, with Juan Carlos Aguado having the same privilege at Rallysprint de Tierra Orillas del Tuerto.

Łukasz Habaj celebrated victory at Poland’s Rajd Dolnośląski. Davide Caffoni secured the win at Rally del Rubienetto in Italy. And in the UK, David Bogie piloted his Fiesta R5 to the top step of the podium at the ever-popular Cambrian Rally which attracted more than 170 entries.

M-Sport’s top-specification Ford Fiesta was also reaping considerable success – Manuel Sossella piloting his Ford Fiesta RS WRC to victory at the Trofeo ACI Como Rally in Italy.

But it wasn’t just M-Sport’s latest crop of globally successful rally cars enjoying the spoils as previous models also continue to produce notable success on a global scale. The Ford Focus RS WRC claimed podium finishes in Italy and Ireland, while the Ford Fiesta ST secured a double podium in Sweden.

All in all, M-Sport cars delivered two titles, nine victories, 27 podiums, five one-two finishes and two clean-sweeps of the podium this weekend alone.

M-Sport Managing Director, Malcolm Wilson OBE, said:

“I cannot tell you how fantastic it is to see so many incredible results coming through from so many of our valued clients around the globe. A huge congratulations to both Nasser [Al-Attiyah] and Mark [Cronje] on their championship success, but also to every Ford Fiesta driver who enjoyed the taste of champagne this weekend.

“I know how much time and effort goes into any rally programme – no matter how big or small – and each and every one of this weekend’s results are thoroughly deserved.

“To know that our products are yielding so much success for our clients proves the high level of engineering expertise and customer support we have at M-Sport. We will keep pushing to ensure that we can continue to support our clients in the best way possible – helping each and every one add to the fantastic results we continue to achieve together.”