Ford Galp Racing team cancels trip to Spain.

The Ford Galp Energia Racing team will not take part on the forthcoming Rally Catalunya / Rally of Spain, a tarmac event from the World Rally Championship series, after a decision was forced on the team, putting an end to a project announced last January.

"In fact, due to the recent events within the Portuguese Rally Championship, namely after having retired on the past FC Porto Rally, we were forced to decide towards the cancellation of Rui Madeira and Fernando Prata, as well as the whole structure that supports them, participation on what would be our international event of 2002", confirmed Anabela Correia, Team Director, Ford Galp Energia Racing.

"At this moment, after the arrival of our Ford Focus WRC to England, at M-Sport headquarters, it was confirmed that there isn't enough time available to conveniently prepare the car to a 100% participation on the Rally Catalunya, an event that will take place less than 15 days from now and which represents in terms of structure and competition something similar to two or three Portuguese rallies, with all the effort behind it. For that reason, we had to take this tough but necessary decision".

"Now, because our main goal for this year is the Portuguese Rally Championship, we are now preparing the best way possible the next round, the Portugal/Algarve Rally, so we can, once and for all, put behind our backs this unbelievable season start. We have an excellent driver and co-driver, to whom we renew our trust, we have a commendable personnel on our national team and we keep our trust on the work of preparing and assisting the confirmedly trustworthy Ford Focus WRC on the ground from M-Sport".

The Ford Dealer Network and Galp Energia sponsored team will now use this interval until the beginning of May to perform some tests, namely in terms of tyres, as a preparation of the rest of the rally season.

"We know that, so far, we've already lost 20 points to our main contender in the championship, but, for sure, we won't give up. There's work to be done, so we are going to do it, so we are able to offer Ford and the whole project sponsors and supporters the place they deserve within the Portuguese Motorsport arena", said Anabela Correia.