Ford’s Fiesta WRC set for six-day French test

28th July 2010

By Richard Rodgers

Ford will press ahead with testing its Ford Fiesta RS World Rally Car when it undertakes a six-day test in France next week.

The test, which will take place on asphalt and gravel roads, will be conducted by semi-works Stobart M-Sport drivers Matthew Wilson and Henning Solberg.

Ford team boss Malcolm Wilson said: “It’s part of our [planned] testing but it’s a big one for us. We’re going to concentrate on getting the kilometres on certain components, different types of shock loadings you need to put through the car in the build up to getting the engine in September.”

Wilson confirmed that factory Ford pilots Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala will assume a greater role in the testing programme in the coming months, with the Fiesta due to run with the 1.6-litre turbo engine from September.