Ott Tanak seals move to DMACK's new WRC team for 2016
Ott Tanak's move from M-Sport to DMACK's new World Rally Championship team has been confirmed, with the Estonian tackling all 14 rounds in a Ford Fiesta RS WRC next year
The Anglo-Chinese operation is stepping up its world championship commitment, signing up as a manufacturer team for the first time, as predicted by Autosport earlier this week.
This will be the first time DMACK - with M-Sport alongside supplying its cars - has fought tyre rivals Michelin and Pirelli head-on across the spread of a full season.
Having been dropped by M-Sport for the second time after a tough 2015, Tanak is grateful to DMACK for a career lifeline once again.
The 28-year-old drove for DMACK in 2014, when it won the WRC2 teams' title, having previously lost his seat in Ford's M-Sport-run works squad after '12.
Prior to that, the Estonian made his World Rally Car debut in a DMACK Fiesta, finishing sixth on the 2011 Rally GB (pictured below).
"We had a tough season but the speed was there and, now that we have much more WRC experience, we will only get better in the future," said Tanak.
"This is a perfect programme for me, a chance to help DMACK progress and an opportunity for me to demonstrate both my and DMACK's pace.
"I'm extremely motivated to carry on the hard work and get closer to the top.
"We have many good memories from 2014. I can't wait to start the season in Monaco."
After a two-day asphalt development session in Spain last month, DMACK and Tanak will take part in a cold-weather test at the start of December in preparation for the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally in January.
Tanak will be joined in the DMACK team by countryman Sander Parn and this year's Fiesta Trophy winner Marius Aasen. Both will drive Ford Fiesta R5s in WRC2.
DMACK managing director Dick Cormack said: "We've been working on this programme for around six months as part of our three-year development plan.
"I genuinely believe the combination of M-Sport and Ott is the best platform to help us develop our WRC products and push for leading stage times when the opportunity arises.
"DMACK has a clear strategy to challenge for the WRC title in the future and the only way to achieve this is to focus hard on product development and undertake a full WRC programme with the correct partners to prove our performance.
"Today is yet another step towards achieving our goal of competing at the pinnacle of world rallying alongside Michelin and Pirelli, so I'm looking forward to a great season in 2016."
Be part of the Autosport community
Join the conversationShare Or Save This Story
The outrageous mountain-climbers that became Pikes Peak legends
Ranking lost WRC legend Richard Burns' 10 best rallies
What to expect from the WRC's venture to the Arctic
Tanak has "bigger things to worry about" than WRC points deficit
Rovanpera: WRC technical overhaul for 2025 “makes no sense”
Why M-Sport has pinned all its efforts on a WRC reunion
DMACK to step back from full-time WRC programme in 2018
Rally GB: Ogier says Evans favourite with DMACKs after shakedown
Why DMACK won't repeat its 2016 Rally Poland shock
FIA still chasing answers over bizarre Shanghai F1 grass fires
How a Shanghai to Sheffield journey paved the way for China’s F1 hero
Hamilton expects to lose positions if F1 China sprint is dry
Verstappen 'deserves' fourth in China F1 sprint qualifying with wet struggles
How Rovanpera showed his class above his WRC rivals in Kenya
How a new 'old' challenge is capturing the spirit of British rallying lore
How Lappi survived Swedish snow carnage to snap his lengthy WRC drought
The new WRC highs Neuville reached to defeat Monte master Ogier
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments