Laukkanen gets Focus for Finland Rally.

A fourth Focus WRC car will be prepared for the Finn to drive alongside Ford regulars, Colin McRae, Carlos Sainz and Petter Solberg and will be run on behalf of the Blue Rose Team.

For Laukkanen and regular co-driver Kaj Lindström, the Rally, which takes place from August 17th - 20th, will be a definite step forward. The event will be the first time Laukkanen has driven a World Rally Car and experienced four wheel drive. The Finn has built up a reputation for himself as one of the world's best two-wheel drive rally drivers.

"It's a great opportunity for me to move up to World Rally Car level," enthused Laukkanen. "I hope to test shortly. I have to do some serious work in a Focus before the rally because it's important that I understand how the car works before the event."

Running a fourth Focus also marks a renewed association between M-Sport and Blue Rose. In 1996 M-Sport guided Blue Rose driver Jarmo Kytölehto to an overall third position in Finland.

"I'm really delighted to have someone of Tapio's calibre driving a Ford Focus," said M-Sport boss Malcolm Wilson. "It will obviously take him some time to adapt from a two-wheel drive to a four-wheel drive car in competition but he will benefit from competing on the Finnish roads he knows so well and I'm sure he can make a big impression."

Wilson will hope that McRae and co can also make a big impression as the World Rally Circus moves to New Zealand next week. A good result for McRae would have him snapping at the heels of championship-leader Richard Burns when the teams arrive in Finland.