Ford rule out fighting for title

Wilson played down the championship potential of the all new Focus WRC 06 at the official launch of the car at the Bologna motorshow today, despite the team finishing third in the manufacturers' championship last season, only behind the two marques that have now withdrawn - Citroen and Peugeot.

The Ford Focus WRC 06 impressed on its debut in last month's Rally Australia, winning two stages and finishing sixth in the hands of Roman Kresta in 2006 technical specification.

However Wilson still believes that Sebastien Loeb and his privateer Citroen will still be the team to beat for the championship, although he reckons Ford will score some victories in 2006.

Wilson told autosport.com: "We can win rallies next season but not the title. I'd be very happy if we won as soon as Monte Carlo and Sweden but I don't think it's likely. That is a tall order in fairness.

"Citroen are still there, make no bones about it. They have signed Sebastien Loeb for three years and although he is not in a manufacturer team they will still have help and the Xsara is still a good car. Subaru will have a new car and are launching it in January and we don't know how good that will be yet.

"When we started our four-year plan the aim was to invest in the new car this year - we want to be wining rallies this season."

Ford's testing schedule before next season includes four days in Sweden before a five-day asphalt test in Spain in preparation for January's Monte Carlo Rally.

Wilson believes that Toni Gardemeister's retirement with a water pump belt failure on the penultimate stage of the Rally Australia will actually be beneficial to the team.

"To have the retirement for Toni was actually a big help," Wilson added. "What happened means we will look at it and design new parts. The car probably wouldn't have suffered that problem again in Monte Carlo or Sweden, but when we head to Mexico it would have been a big problem.

"The cars were faster than I thought they would be without the new technical regulations. To win stages when neither driver had driven the car was incredible."