M-Sport, the company behind the BP-Ford World Rally Team and promoters of the Fiesta Sporting Trophy have announced the details and calendar for the 2008 FST UK series.

After consultation with competitors the decision has been made to tweak the format of the series, which will be in its third year, to enable as many owners of the popular Ford Fiesta ST Gp.N car as possible, the opportunity to enter every round.

The all-gravel, six round series will once again start with the Malcolm Wilson Rally, where competitors will be able to have a pre-season test session, with a physical and mental training programme to help prepare them for the season ahead.

The format of the championship rounds will remain the same - National B status events, offering 45 miles of gravel stages for a reasonable entry fee. The events are all run to the same format requiring the minimum of time to compete.

The championship re-visits the Pirelli National Rally in Carlisle, then ties up with ANCRO Clubman series for the Severn Valley Rally in Bulith Wells, mid-Wales and the Swansea Bay Rally in South Wales before venturing north to the McRae Stages in Perth, Scotland. The change for the 2008 season will be the finale, which in response to competitor feedback will move from Wales to the Malton Stages, using the classic stages of north Yorkshire, giving a better geographical spread.

The championship will once again have an on-event prize fund of £18,000 over the course of the year.

”The FST series has grown over the past two seasons to become a key stepping stone for young drivers and we have been delighted to get some of the best young talents in the UK into the series,” M-Sport business manager Andrew Wheatley said. “The reduction of the number of rounds and restricting the series to gravel has coincided with more and more cars becoming available on the second-hand market to make the series more accessible.

“We have calculated that the costs to compete in the championship will be reduced by 30% meaning that the already good value events are even more affordable. We hope that the reduction of the number of events in the series will mean that those drivers looking to do more events in their year will have the chance to expand their experience, maybe to add more rounds of the ANCRO Clubman series or take the chance to compete in the FST series in Ireland or Belgium – both of which offer some classic rallies and the same packages of on-event support and prize money.

“The cars have proven to be reliable, competitive, fun to drive and have retained their value helping to reduce the real cost of competing. We hope that 2008 will see a continuation of the split second action that saw four different drivers take the winners position in 2007 and created such giant-killing performances from the leading drivers.”

2008 Fiesta SportingTrophy UK calendar:

1 March Malcolm Wilson Stages Cockermouth, Cumbria
19 April Pirelli National Rally Carlisle, Cumbria
31 May Severn Valley Clubman Rally Bulith Wells, Mid Wales
19 July Swansea Bay Clubman Rally Swansea, South Wales
14 October McRae Stages Rally Perth, Scotland
1 November Malton Stages Malton, Yorkshire