Duval secures second Stobart M-Sport Germany seat
16th July 2010By Anthony Peacock
Ford’s asphalt efforts in this year’s World Rally Championship have received a timely boost in the shape of Francois Duval returning to the series for next month’s Rallye Deutschland.
The Belgian was confirmed as a Stobart M-Sport Ford Rally Team driver this morning and will take Henning Solberg’s place in the second Stobart Ford Focus RS WRC, joining regular Matthew Wilson for the Trier-based event. Beyond his Rally Australia win in 2005, Rallye Deutschland is the event where the 29-year-old Belgian has had most success, finishing on the podium four times from seven starts.
Duval’s last outing in Germany – in 2008 – only netted him fourth overall, but he was fastest on four out of five stages on the final day of the event. Such is Duval’s ability on the ever-changing asphalt of the Mosel region, he is the only driver to have led Sebastien Loeb on the rally in the last five years. Duval led in 2005 for one stage and then for another single stage in 2007. He was finished second to Loeb three times in Germany.
Seen as an asphalt expert, Duval will add another dimension to Ford’s line-up for the second Tarmac outing of the season, bringing the potential for fresh input into the set-up of the Focus RS WRC following the squad’s defeat to Citroen on the recent Rally Bulgaria.
Duval said: “It is of great credit to Malcolm [Wilson] and Christian [Loriaux] at M-Sport that I have been given this opportunity to drive for the Stobart M-Sport Ford Rally Team once again. I hope that I will have a good test in the weeks before Germany and that I will be able to get a good result for the team. Germany is a very nice rally and each year I have competed I’ve had very good results so I am confident I will be able to do well again this year.”
Stobart Ford team principal Malcolm Wilson, the man who gave Duval his big break in the sport in 2002, added: “I’m delighted to see Francois back behind the wheel of a Ford Focus RS WRC again. He will strengthen the Stobart M-Sport Ford Rally Team at a crucial part of the season so we are very much looking forward to welcoming him on board. We really enjoyed working with Francois in 2008 and I have little doubt that he will continue to impress us when he joins us in Germany next month.”
