Needless to say, Ford's aim for the 2011 WRC campaign is to return to winning, and with everyone starting from scratch – thanks to the new regulations imposed by the FIA – team boss Malcolm Wilson thinks Ford has every reason to feel optimistic. The newly-developed Fiesta RS WRC has conducted over 11,000 km of testing and, according to Wilson, has all that it takes to challenge its rival Citroen DS3 WRC for the overall crown.
“It’s very, very exciting times for us here at M-Sport entering the championship with a new car and new technology,” said Wilson, referring to the team's new challenger for the 2011 season, the Fiesta RS WRC. He also emphasised the importance of keeping the same lineup through the WRC's transition from the old cars to the new era.
“Some of the previous technology has been taken out of the car under the new regulations but the one thing that is consistent is that we’ve got the same drivers in Jari-Matti Latvala and Mikko Hirvonen who will start the season as equals with equal equipment.”
Referring to his team's chances in 2011, Wilson thinks it's now time Ford wins some championships, as it hasn't felt the taste of beating Citroen for it in more than 3 years.
“Christian and Anthony Brinkman, the chief designer, have reviewed every single item on the car and tried to optimise everything in terms of strength and weight and to improve the weight distribution and centre of gravity, which is all about achieving performance targets. We’re in the best position we’ve ever been in,” concluded Wilson.
The 2011 WRC season kicks off in Sweden two weekends from now, and we're all expecting a hell of a battle between Ford and Citroen on the snowy roads of the Nordic country.
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