WRC: Ford: We're ready to come out fighting.

[Rory Phoulorie]

Sunday, 13th January 2008

"As you can imagine Marcus will be a big miss to the team... but we feel Mikko is ready to step up to the mark." says Malcolm Wilson.


BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally team director Malcolm Wilson has said that he is confident 'his' team will be right up there in 2008 and once again challenging for top honours.

The 'Blue Oval' will be gunning for its third manufacturers' title in succession this year, while Mikko Hirvonen, who will be joined by Jari-Matti Latvala in the sister car, will now be the #1 pilot and out to challenge for 'gold' in the race for the drivers' crown.

Asked how preparations have been going ahead of the new season, Malcolm told Crash.net Radio at the Autosport International Show that so far it has all been 'very good'.

"We have actually done two tests - one in Sweden and one in the south of France. We have got another one in the south of France just prior to Monte Carlo too," he continued. "There are a lot of changes, with the new Pirelli tyres, but the guys - Mikko and Jari-Matti - are certainly very encouraged and they are very happy with the performance, which is a little bit different to what they have been use to.

"They seem very confident with everything that has been happening and they are just eager to get back behind the wheel now and get started on Monte Carlo and get started with the new season."

As for the team's driver line-up for 2008, Malcolm added that he is very pleased with his pairing, although he did concede that Marcus Gronholm's decision to retire was definitely a blow.

"As you can imagine Marcus will be a big miss to the team because of what he brought over the last couple of seasons," he continued. "Twelve victories is a very difficult and very hard act to follow.

"But also Mikko did an incredible job in backing him up on many, many rallies and collecting manufacturers' points. We feel then he is ready to step up to the mark. He won three events last season and again Jari-Matti's pace has been there for everybody to see, especially mid-season in 07, along with a few accidents. But he also showed great maturity in the final part of the year, which resulted in his first podium.

"Overall I think we have a very exciting and probably the youngest driver line-up in the world championship there has ever been. We are very confident we will be winning rallies again," he concluded.


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