Ford confirms Gardemeister for 2005.

Finland's Toni Gardemeister has signed a one-year contract to drive for Ford Motor Company in next season's FIA World Rally Championship.

He will drive a Ford Focus RS World Rally Car on all 16 rounds of the championship with the Blue Oval squad that finished second in the 2004 series.

Ford confirms Gardemeister for 2005.

Finland's Toni Gardemeister has signed a one-year contract to drive for Ford Motor Company in next season's FIA World Rally Championship.

He will drive a Ford Focus RS World Rally Car on all 16 rounds of the championship with the Blue Oval squad that finished second in the 2004 series.

The 29-year old is already experienced at world championship level, having started 70 rallies since making his debut in his native Finland in 1996. He will be co-driven by fellow countryman Jakke Honkanen, who moves up to replace Gardemeister's career-long partner Paavo Lukander, who retired at the end of the 2004 season.

Gardemeister has driven for the official SEAT and Skoda teams in the WRC, helping the former to win the two-litre world championship for manufacturers. His best personal result is third place on Rally New Zealand in 1999 - on his debut drive in a World Rally Car.

"Toni has earned his reputation as a quick and highly consistent driver," said M-Sport Ford team director Malcolm Wilson, "He served a thorough world championship apprenticeship in the two-wheel drive, two-litre category before moving up to his first full programme in a World Rally Car in 2000. He is now ready to make the step up to a front-line team and I'm confident he will do a superb job for us next season.

"Toni has considerable experience of virtually all the WRC events and his ability behind the wheel will make the transition to a Focus RS WRC a smooth one."

Gardemeister will begin testing in Sweden next Thursday, when he will spend the day familiarising himself with the Focus RS WRC before starting tyre testing with Michelin.

Negotiations are still taking place to finalise Gardemeister's team-mate for 2005, and the team has said that an announcement will be made when talks have been completed.

Read More