The early debut of the ’06 generation car by the
BP Ford team last year in Australia, run by the same M-Sport operation which runs the
Stobart squad, is what has enabled the squad to become the first-ever team other than the Manufacturer One operation to use a Focus RS WRC06.
Matthew Wilson can’t wait to get his hands on the new car. Furthermore while he has had some running in it, it has been extremely limited.
“Japan is not an event I’ve done before and I’ve only driven the new Focus very briefly so it’s going to be interesting. Michael [Orr – my co-driver] has done the rally before so I’ll be relying on him a lot,” said the Brit. “Getting to drive the 2006 Focus is probably something I’ve been looking forward to more than anything else this year so it will be really good to finally be in the car. In Finland it was good to get a top ten result and we’re just going to have the same approach as every rally this year and go out and learn the event.”
Luis Perez Companc meanwhile returns alongside Wilson and will drive the second car. This is Companc’s fifth outing this year having also competed in Sweden, Mexico, Argentina and Italy. His best result thus far - a ninth place finish in Argentina.
“I have not done Rally Japan before so it will be very interesting to see the event,” added Companc. “It will be my first rally in the new Focus and I am very much looking forward to that. Everyone has told me it is a very narrow rally, very fast, but with not much room for error. This will make it a very difficult rally and I don’t really know what to expect.”
Red Bull Skoda:
[Harri Rovanpera, car #11 and Andreas Aigner, car #12]
Red Bull Skoda have opted
not to compete on this event, their next outing will be on the Cyprus Rally at the end of September.
