Ford Relies on Experience For 2009 WRC Title Bid

Lessons learned from last season are the BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team's young drivers plan to challenge for 2009 FIA World Rally Championship which begins in Ireland this weekend (29 January-1 February).  Finns Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala raised more than a few eyebrows as they turned what was expected to be a transitional year for Ford in 2008 into a concerted title bid in both the drivers' and manufacturers' series.

This year the 28-year-old Hirvonen and 23-year-old Latvala begin the 2009 season at the Rally Ireland confident of stepping up their performance even further.  The key strategy of the team this season will be continuity and both drivers will again have the record-breaking Ford Focus RS World Rally Car at their disposal.  The car won four times in 2008 and has 36 WRC victories to its credit since the original model debuted in 1999.

With the Rally Ireland being one of just two all-asphalt events in the 12-round series and returns for its second appearance after a year's absence.  Hirvonen, hope to improve on his fourth in Ireland in 2007 and knows what to expect this year.

"Rally Ireland was difficult in 2007, but this year I feel it's going to be even harder," he said.  "I think we'll experience ice in places and the roads are so incredibly narrow and fast.  Cars cut the corners and pull mud onto the road so it can be dirty and slippery.  It's going to be an interesting and challenging event to start the year.  We have a two-day test before the rally so that should give us confidence going into the start.  I want to be on the podium, but if there's any chance at all, I want to fight for the win."

"I'm feeling confident about the season ahead.  I learned much from 2008 that I'm sure will benefit me this year.  After a too cautious start, my speed increased during the second half of the season and that's how I need to start 2009.  There are only 12 rallies so it's important to score on every rally.  There is no room for zero points from events because there are fewer rallies to make up for it," added Hirvonen.

Latvala has set his sights on a repeating what was his first WRC podium in Ireland in 2007.  "Loose surface rallies are my preference, but I've said to myself that if I can finish in the top three on asphalt this year, that would be perfect.  It will be a very tricky rally because the conditions will be so unpredictable and a neat, tidy and mistake-free drive will be rewarded," he said.

"Consistency is an area in which I want to improve in 2009.  I want to eliminate the kind of ups and downs that I experienced at times last season.  This time one year ago I was very nervous ahead of my debut in the Ford team.  I went through so many things last year, gaining experience and learning about the mental side of the WRC, that I feel relaxed and confident for the new season.  I have two targets: to help Ford regain the manufacturers' title and to fight for the drivers' title.  It's not a target to win the drivers' title—that's different—but I want to be able to challenge for it," added Latvala.

Driving the third Focus RS WRC will be Abu Dhabi's Khalid Al Qassimi, who finished 15th in 2007.  He realizes that Ireland will be hugely different from the conditions he will experience during this weekend's opening round of the Middle East Rally Championship in Qatar. 

"I’m sure Ireland will be wet and the asphalt is bound to be muddy and slippery.  It won’t be easy for me, especially after driving in Qatar, but I'll rely on my pace notes, start steadily and aim to improve throughout the weekend.  I've learned a lot in the past 18 months—now is the time to realise my potential.  This season my goals are to keep improving and hopefully I'll be in a position to post top 10 finishes and get in the drivers' points," said Al Qassimi.

Seven other Focus RS cars will take the start at the Rally Ireland.  Henning Solberg/Cato Menkerud and Ford debutants Urmo Aava/Kuldar Sikk are nominated by the Stobart VK M-Sport squad, which has also entered Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin.  Ireland's MacHale family will also be at the wheel of Focus RS WRCs.  Father Austin and sons Gareth and Aaron are all entered, co-driven by Dermot O'Gorman, Brian Murphy and Killian Duffy respectively.  Another car has been entered by Irish crew David James/Jim Crowe.

Ford will definitely have their work cut out for them.  Even though Subaru and Suzuki both dropped their WRC Rally programs their major nemesis, Citroen, returns with the five-time World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb.