Novikov, Prokop in with DMACK for Spain

Evgeny Novikov and Martin Prokop will both drive DMACK liveried Ford Fiesta RS WRC cars on Rally de Espana next month, it has been confirmed.

The rally will be the eighth World Rally Championship event in the 2012 season where competitors in world rally cars have used DMACK tyres. The move is said to be in line with DMACK's season-long plan to 'further develop its products using the ultra-challenging conditions of the world's top rally series'.

The manufacturer's best result came in Argentina earlier this season when Prokop finished fourth overall using DMACK's DMG+ gravel tyre. However, on Spain's opening day, which includes two stages on gravel and one mixed surface test, Novikov and Prokop will both use the evolution DMG+2 which has a more closed tread pattern and took Prokop to eighth overall on last weekend's Rally d'Italia.

They will switch to the DMT-RC for days two and three of the event which features asphalt stages. Both Fiestas will be run by Autotek Motorsport.

Novikov has until now run under the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team banner, but John Powell will take over the #6 entry in Spain.

"It's important for DMACK to evaluate its performance using the best possible cars, and the events which deliver the greatest challenge. We've equipped world rally cars on over half of the rallies this season and it's given us vital feedback for next year's range," said Dick Cormack, DMACK motorsport director.

"We are constantly improving, have made significant steps in performance and see competing at the top level of motorsport key to our development."

DMACK will then continue its development for 2013 with a two-day test in Spain immediately after the WRC 2012 season finale and it also plans to do a second winter tyre test in Finland during November.