M-Sport, the promoters of the Fiesta SportingTrophy Series' in both the UK and Ireland, have confirmed the creation of a new 'incentive' for registered competitors in those championships, which will give them the chance to drive a Ford Focus WRC car in December.
With more and more drivers seeing the advantages of regular competition on both sides of the water creates, M-Sport wants to see more young drivers following in the footsteps of the likes of Alastair Fisher, Jonny Greer and Elfyn Evans and combine competing in the gravel series in the UK with the tarmac series in Ireland.
All those that start a minimum of 8 FST rounds in the UK and Irish series will be invited to come to Cumbria and get a chance to sample the experience behind the wheel of the car that currently leads the
FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers, the Ford Focus WRC.
In addition, during the course of the year all the drivers will be assessed by a team from M-Sport and one driver will be offered an 'extended opportunity'.
The selected driver will have their travel expenses paid, they will be accommodated at a hotel in Cockermouth where they will be invited to dinner with M-Sport managing director, Malcolm Wilson.
The following day, they will be equipped with a WRC replica overall and they will have an additional chance to test the Focus WRC with coaching from a member of the M-Sport team.
"This has been something that we have been trying to support as we have seen the benefit that the drivers have had from doing both the UK and Irish series," explained M-Sport managing director, Malcolm Wilson
"The experience gained by doing both the UK gravel series and the Irish asphalt series on their own pace-notes is excellent preparation for the next step of the ladder towards the WRC.
"Through this initiative we hope to re-pay the commitment shown by the FST drivers and give them a glimpse of what they aspire to - the top step of the ladder of opportunity."
