F1, RALLY: This Week in Ford of Europe Motorsport
21 October 1998
FORD IN THE FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIPThe eagerly awaited debut of the all-new Ford Focus World Rally Car is expected this week. Following the unveiling of the car at last month's Paris Motor Show, it will take to the test track for the first time behind closed doors in Great Britain. The car, which will be driven by former world champion Colin McRae on the 1999 FIA World Rally Championship, has been the centre of huge media interest since the Paris show. It will be tested initially by Ford World Rally team director Malcolm Wilson, himself a former World Championship driver with Ford.
"This will be an exciting moment for all concerned within both Ford Motor Company and the Ford World Rally team. It marks the culmination of many weeks' hard work by our designers and engineers but, at the same time, it marks the beginning of the next phase of the programme, the testing and development of the car in readiness for its competition debut on the Monte Carlo Rally in January," said Wilson.
Following last week's Sanremo Rally in Italy when Bruno Thiry finished in the points by finishing sixth on round 11 of the FIA World Rally Championship, attention within the Ford World Rally team has turned to preparations for the final two events of the season, the Rally Australia and the Rally of Great Britain. The team is holding a major test session in Cumbria this week, with both Juha Kankkunen and Bruno Thiry spending time behind the wheel of a Ford Escort World Rally Car in the Lake District forests. Kankkunen will test on Tuesday and Wednesday with Thiry taking over for the final two days.
"Both the final two events are held on gravel and these four days' testing will enable us to try a few things out. There's no huge revisions to the Escort in the pipeline but any small improvements we can make will translate themselves into time saved on the special stages," said Ford World Rally team director Malcolm Wilson.
The WRC Focus be on display to the public and media throughout, the Birmingham Motor Show, at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, UK.
FORD IN THE FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
The Stewart-Ford Team has been following its scheduled testing programme at the Silverstone circuit this week. On Monday October 19th, Rubens Barrichello completed 71 laps on the circuit. Due to adverse weather conditions, he had the opportunity to test the wet weather tyres in the afternoon. On Tuesday October 20th, Mario Haberfield joined Rubens in the on going testing of the Ford Series 6 engine with a view to racing this latest specification at the Japanese Grand Prix.
The SF-2 will be on display to the public and media throughout the Birmingham Motor Show, at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, UK.
EUROPEAN MOTORSPORT DIARY
Monday 19th October
FIA Formula One Championship, Stewart-Ford Team test at Silverstone,
UK, driver: Rubens Barrichello
Tuesday 20th October
FIA World Rally Championship, Ford World Rally team test with Juha
Kankkunen, Cumbria, UK
FIA Formula One Championship, Stewart-Ford Team test at Silverstone,
UK, drivers: Rubens Barrichello and Mario Haberfield
Birmingham Motor Show, WRC Focus & SF-2 on display
Wednesday 21st October
FIA World Rally Championship, Ford World Rally team test with Juha
Kankkunen, Cumbria, UK
Birmingham Motor Show, WRC Focus & SF-2 on display
Thursday 22nd October
FIA World Rally Championship, Ford World Rally team test with Juha
Kankkunen, Cumbria, UK
Birmingham Motor Show, WRC Focus & SF-2 on display
Friday 23rd October
FIA World Rally Championship, Ford World Rally team test with Juha
Kankkunen, Cumbria, UK
Birmingham Motor Show, WRC Focus & SF-2 on display
