Ford Australia has reached an arrangement with motorsport partner M-Sport to make available its latest Ford Fiesta rally vehicles for the Australian Rally Championship.
R1 and R2 specification Fiestas are now on-sale exclusively at M-Sport agent RSPORT, enabling teams to purchase them for competition next year 2013.
The Fiesta R2 is developed from the road going Ford Fiesta as a competition package with an engine upgrade, sequential-shift gearbox, AP brakes, Reiger suspension and all the safety and other equipment needed in a competitive rally car.
Spokesman for RSPORT Phil Coppin says that the Fiestas will offer a competitive platform at an effective cost.
“These vehicles are a great way to step up from state championship level rallying to the national title,” said Coppin.
“The R1 and R2 possess similar technology to the WRC car, but at a fraction of the cost.”
Graham Barrie, Group Manager, Motorsport, Sponsorship and Events at Ford Australia says the Fiesta models are a great fit for the ARC.
“We’re pleased to announce our support for RSPORT in supplying these exciting rally-spec models to the Australian market,” Barrie said.
“We look forward to seeing the Fiesta R1 and R2 competing at the Australian Rally Championship in 2013. Rallying is a key component of Ford’s global motorsport strategy and Fiesta is a key nameplate for Ford Australia.
“We see a great fit here with the new direction of the Australian Rally Championship taking shape in 2013.”
As an added incentive, Ford Australia will award the inaugural Fiesta Sport Trophy to the winning Fiesta R2 team competing in the ARC. The FST will see Fiesta drivers fighting it out for an opportunity to represent Australia at the International FST Shootout in the UK late next year. The winner receives a 12-month contract to work for M-Sport alongside some of the world’s best rally drivers like Jari-Matti Latvala and Petter Solberg. Australia will be the 13th country to initiate this highly-successful one-make rally series.
