{"id":477,"date":"2010-02-15T07:45:15","date_gmt":"2010-02-15T12:45:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.racetech0722.com\/?p=477"},"modified":"2010-02-15T07:45:15","modified_gmt":"2010-02-15T12:45:15","slug":"m-sport%e2%80%99s-ford-fiesta-s2000-on-song-in-sweden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.racetech0722.com\/?p=477","title":{"rendered":"M-Sport\u2019s Ford Fiesta S2000 on song in Sweden"},"content":{"rendered":"

Written by M-Sport\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Rally Sweden proved to be another highly successful event for M-Sport\u2019s new Ford Fiesta S2000 as three finished in the top four places of the S-WRC category and the car scored an overall WRC stage win for the first time.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Four of the new generation rally cars were in action at the opening round of the FIA World Rally Championship.\u00a0 Bernardo Sousa and Andreas Mikkelsen entered with Fiestas prepared by M-Sport, while Martin Prokop and Janne Tuohino were run by their own private teams.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sousa, Prokop and Tuohino were all registered to score points in\u00a0the new S-WRC category for S2000 specification cars, and with the new car having taken victory in its competitive<\/span> debut in Monte Carlo and Qatar, plus ex-Ford WRC driver Marcus Gr\u00f6nholm having<\/span> completed 230km of set-up in the Fiesta prior to Sweden, all were confident of putting in a strong performance on the snow-bound stages.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Day one saw the Fiesta S2000s fighting at the front of the S-WRC category.\u00a0 Janne Tuohino was chasing the early leader P-G Andersson from the off, but was trying to measure his driving rather than going flat out and risking a mistake.\u00a0 Andreas Mikkelsen followed closely behind Tuohino and looked strong throughout the day.\u00a0 Reigning Junior World Rally Champion Prokop was around 20seconds further back after a relatively incident<\/span>–<\/span>free drive, but Sousa<\/span> didn\u2019t have it all his own way after hitting a snow bank and losing his light pod.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The second day of the event was action-packed.\u00a0 Mikkelsen started to get to grips with the conditions and mounted a charge on the first stage of the day that saw him overhaul Tuohino to go second of the S2000 cars in the overall standings.\u00a0 Prokop continued steadily throughout the day but then put a real marker down as he recorded the fastest time on the short SS16 Hagfors Sprint \u2013 beating every other car in the field to take an overall stage win and a create a new first for both the S2000 class and the Ford Fiesta S2000.\u00a0 In another stunning performance Sousa recorded the second-fastest time on the same stage, while Tuohino was fourth and Mikkelsen eighth.\u00a0 That meant four Fiesta S2000s in the top eight overall stage times, a fantastic effort against the more powerful WRC-spec cars.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

On the final day of the rally all of the Fiesta S2000 drivers reported themselves happy with the way the car was performing and continued to enjoy a smooth run towards the finish.\u00a0 Andreas Mikkelsen hit a blip when a cable that helps to select reverse gear came loose after SS18 Varmullsasen and he was late leaving service, costing him a ten-second penalty.\u00a0 However, the rest of the Fiesta S2000 crews enjoyed a smooth final loop of stages to bring home a clutch of outstanding results from the supremely tough Rally Sweden.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Andreas Mikkelsen said:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIt has gone very well.\u00a0 We only had a short test before the rally so everything still felt new when we started and we had to learn as we went along.\u00a0 It felt good all the way though, and there was a lot more grip than I expected in these conditions.\u00a0 The tyres did a very good job and we didn\u2019t lose many studs.\u00a0 The rally was difficult but everything went fine for us.\u00a0 I think the season ahead will be very good for us in this car.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Janne Tuohino said:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe stages were hard because the first loop was always nice but the second was very hard on the tyres.\u00a0 The car has been very strong but maybe we need a little more time to learn how to use it better.\u00a0 We lost too much time on Friday so since then it has really been focusing on developing our feeling with the car.\u00a0 In a few more events we will be very fast.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Martin Prokop said:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThis rally has been nearly perfect, we have had no problems at all.\u00a0 The car was really special all the way.\u00a0 We didn\u2019t do anything special in terms of our driving so to get the stage win on Saturday was great.\u00a0 It was hard to fight with the others in front because they have a better understanding of these conditions.\u00a0 The rest of the year we will be more confident back on gravel and it is a big opportunity for us to do something really good.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bernardo Sousa said:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been an unbelievable event for me.\u00a0 I don\u2019t have much experience of winter rallies but I have really enjoyed every minute.\u00a0 It\u2019s always so different driving in these conditions.\u00a0 The only problem we had was a small thing with the intercom on the last day, everything else was great.\u00a0 The pace of the competition was very high, which is good, but we know we are here to pick up experience and would not really be able to fight to win.\u00a0 On the gravel and tarmac events I think we can go really well this season in this car.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

M-Sport Managing Director Malcolm Wilson said:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m delighted with the Fiesta S2000\u2019s WRC debut. \u00a0At some point every Fiesta driver has put in a great performance and to achieve a fastest overall stage time on its debut was just remarkable.\u00a0 All four Ford Fiesta crews have had no major problems and it demonstrates that we found both the performance and reliability with this new car.\u00a0 Andreas drove very well and it was great to see Janne Tuohino top of the registered SWRC crews in his Fiesta.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Final SWRC Result<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

1. P-G Andersson\/A Fredriksson\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 SWE\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Skoda Fabia S2000\u00a0\u00a0 3h21m39.3sec<\/span><\/p>\n

2. J Tuohino\/M Tuohino\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 FIN\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ford Fiesta S2000\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +57.3sec<\/span><\/p>\n

3. M Prokop\/J Tomanek\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 CZ\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ford Fiesta S2000\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +2m56.4sec<\/span><\/p>\n

4. P Sandell\/E Axelsson\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 SWE\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Skoda Fabia S2000\u00a0\u00a0 +4m40.1sec<\/span><\/p>\n

5. E Brynildsen\/C Menkerud\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 NOR\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Skoda Fabia S2000\u00a0\u00a0 +4m58.0sec<\/span><\/p>\n

6. B Sousa\/N Rodrigues\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 P\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ford Fiesta S2000\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +7m15.6sec<\/span><\/p>\n

7. P Saav\/K Lexe\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 SWE\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Skoda Fabia S2000\u00a0\u00a0 +17m49.4sec<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

FIA SWRC driver standings<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

1. P-G Andersson \u2013 25\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2. J Tuohino \u2013 18\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 3.<\/span> M Prokop \u2013 15\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 4. P Sandell – 12 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

5. E Brynildsen \u2013 10\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 6.<\/span> B Sousa \u2013 8\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a07. P Saav – 6<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Written by M-Sport\u00a0 Rally Sweden proved to be another highly successful event for M-Sport\u2019s new Ford Fiesta S2000 as three finished in the top four places of the S-WRC category and the car scored an overall WRC stage win for the first time. \u00a0 Four of the new generation rally cars were in action at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,3],"tags":[6,13],"class_list":["post-477","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fiesta-movement","category-racing","tag-fiestamovement","tag-ford-fiesta-s2000"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.racetech0722.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/477","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.racetech0722.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.racetech0722.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.racetech0722.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.racetech0722.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=477"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.racetech0722.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/477\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":479,"href":"http:\/\/www.racetech0722.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/477\/revisions\/479"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.racetech0722.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=477"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.racetech0722.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=477"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.racetech0722.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=477"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}