Prodrive Mini driver Dani Sordo has been cleared to drive for the Ford World Rally Team in next week’s Rally Argentina.
The Spanish duo will replace regular driver Jari-Matti Latvala in a Ford Fiesta RS World Rally Car after the Finn was forced to withdraw from the fifth round of the FIA World Rally Championship after breaking his left collarbone in a cross-country skiing accident while training in northern Finland last week.
“We’re naturally disappointed that Jari-Matti will miss the rally, but ensuring a full recovery as quickly as possible is the most important thing for him and the team,” said Ford World Rally Team director Malcolm Wilson.
“We’re fortunate to have a driver of Dani’s calibre to join us. His experience at Rally Argentina was a key factor in the decision, having started the rally five times and finishing second in 2009. The agreement is for one rally only, and I would like to thank the management of Dani’s current team, who were extremely gracious in helping us in such challenging circumstances,” he said.
The former Citroen works driver is only running a part-time schedule for the Prodrive WRC Team in 2012 after BMW scaled-back its support for that programme.
The 28-year-old is highly experienced with 93 WRC starts to his name. He has finished on the podium on 32 occasions and won the FIA Junior World Rally Championship in 2005.
Sordo will join Petter Solberg for the four-day Rally Argentina, which will be based in Carlos Paz on 26 – 29 April.
