Wilson backs Focus reliability
Ford rally team boss Malcolm Wilson says that his M-Sport operation will go into the Monte Carlo Rally with more reliability and no less speed than it did last year. Markko Martin launches his title bid in a little over two weeks.
"This winter has been focussed on getting the reliability 100 percent," Wilson told AUTOSPORT International. "Last year we introduced the new Focus and immediately showed we could challenge for victory on every rally. But we had niggling teething problems."
"With 16 events on this year's championship, reliability will be key and that's what we've worked on. Not to say our development has stood still. We'll introduce an updated Focus in New Zealand again, which will see a performance boost. But it won't be as radical as last year."
Martin's co-driver Michael Park was also on the stage, and backed up his boss's hopes for a championship title.
"Anything less will be a disappointment to Ford. Last year we showed we could be competitive everywhere. The new Mille Pistes recce system will be a challenge though, and we'll really need to be on the ball."
Gronholm hopeful protege Huttunen can secure more WRC Rally1 outings
Rally legend Marcus Gronholm is hopeful his young protege Jari Huttunen will receive another shot in the World Rally Championship’s top tier after scoring points on debut in Finland.
How Rovanpera has reignited Finland's rallying obsession
Finland may have a small population, but it has long enjoyed rallying success. Now that the nation has a new star to cheer in the form of Kalle Rovanpera, interest in the discipline is surging once again
Loeb to make WRC return at Acropolis Rally
Sebastien Loeb will return to the World Rally Championship to contest the Acropolis Rally for M-Sport in September.
WRC Finland: The Good, The Bad and an inspired Tanak
The World Rally Championship returned to rallying’s spiritual home in Finland where rally mad fans gathered to support their new home hero Kalle Rovanpera. While Rovanpera threw everything at trying to claim a home win, it was Hyundai’s Ott Tanak that delivered a stunning surprise win. Autosport reviews the highs, lows, turning points, close calls and heartbreak from Rally Finland
How Rovanpera has reignited Finland's rallying obsession
Finland may have a small population, but it has long enjoyed rallying success. Now that the nation has a new star to cheer in the form of Kalle Rovanpera, interest in the discipline is surging once again
How Tanak spoiled Rovanpera’s Finnish homecoming
Kalle Rovanpera and Toyota went into Rally Finland as overwhelming favourites but came away as runners-up to a resurgent Ott Tanak and Hyundai. While it may have dampened the homecoming party, it still moved the Finn closer to the ultimate World Rally Championship prize
Inside Hyundai’s F1-spec mobile WRC home
Hyundai is one of the World Rally Championship's big three, and has a brand-new travelling facility befitting of that status. The team invited Autosport for a behind-the-scenes look at its state-of-the-art HQ, which comes complete with all the bells and whistles you'd expect of a top Formula 1 outfit
How Rovanpera's latest Estonia masterclass left his WRC rivals stumped
After trailing Toyota team-mate Elfyn Evans for much of Rally Estonia's opening day, WRC points leader Kalle Rovanpera took advantage of a change in the weather and never looked back afterwards. Winning for a fifth time this year at the scene of his 2021 breakthrough, and with a breathtaking powerstage bonus for good measure, his advantage is already looking difficult to topple
How the WRC captures its stunning visuals
Whether it’s the mountains of Monte Carlo, the snow of Sweden or the Kenya Savannah, the World Rally Championship is able to beam some of motorsport’s most spectacular footage to television screens while operating in the harshest of environments. Autosport went behind the scenes to unearth the secrets that make this logistical challenge possible
Why WRC's Safari tour is more than just a rally
OPINION: A source of national pride in Kenya, the Safari Rally is also a sporting, cultural and economic phenomenon. And as last weekend's World Rally Championship round reminded us, it's a key driver in establishing Africa’s place in world motorsport
How Rovanpera tamed a wild Safari Rally
The Safari Rally acted as a brutal test of driver and car resolve as multiple retirements opened the path for a historic Toyota 1-2-3-4 triumph, headed by star Kalle Rovanpera. But keeping things clean was only half of the challenge, as a well-timed charge when conditions worsened allowed the Finn to take control
How Tanak turned the tables to deliver Hyundai a timely WRC triumph
The 2019 champion has been a bit-part player recently, but Ott Tanak ended a 15-month drought in fine style with a dominant win in Sardinia. On a weekend when championship leader Kalle Rovanpera struggled with cleaning the road, his Hyundai rival has made his belated arrival into the title race and given cause for those predicting a walkover from the Toyota star to pause