M-Sport wants Robert Kubica to lead WRC team in 2014

M-Sport boss Malcolm Wilson wants Robert Kubica as his team leader in the 2014 World Rally Championship.

While the Pole has yet to decide whether he will commit to a full season in the WRC, M-Sport's Ford squad is emerging as the favourite home for him if he does.

Wilson says he has seen enough of Kubica's talent to know he could lead the team.

"You only have to look at the way Robert prepared for Rally GB to see what this all means to him," said Wilson.

"He has a desire and hunger which you don't see in many drivers and I truly believe he has everything that's needed to drive this team on."

M-Sport ran Thierry Neuville, Mads Ostberg and Evgeny Novikov as its full-time 2013 line-up, but has lost Neuville to the new Hyundai team and is yet to announce any 2014 drivers.

Wilson scotched talk that Kubica might struggle in the WRC's top class.

Although he won the WRC2 title this season, he crashed twice when Citroen promoted him to a World Rally Car for Rally GB.

"We know Robert and I think we could give him the right tools to move forward in rallying," said Wilson.

"It would be fantastic for us as a team to have him with us and there's no doubt he would make a very good number one driver.

"You talk about a lack of experience; look at us this year: we had a driver with very little experience [Neuville] and we got him to second in the championship."

Kubica returned to competition last week when he finished fourth on the Citta dei Mille rally in Italy.

He was driving a Peugeot 207 S2000 with Polish co-driver Jakub Gerber. The pair had to fight back from 45th following a driveshaft breakage on the first stage.

“I am very happy and proud to be joining Citroën Racing,” explains the Norwegian. “We worked hard to get an official driver’s spot. After so many years watching Citroën win, it’s a dream come true to be part of this team.”

Με τη Hyundai σε δοκιμαστική χρονιά, τη Citroen με συνθεση που δεν υποσχεται τιποτα σπουδαιο, και την M-Sport να τείνει προς Hirvonen (μπλιαχ...) και Kubica (πολύ γρήγορος αλλά μέχρι εκέι προς το παρόν...), αν κέρδίσει κάποιος εκτός VW εστω και εναν αγώνα θα είναι θάυμα!!

ROBERT KUBICA CONFIRMS 2014 CAMPAIGN

Robert Kubica and his long-term partner, Lotos, are delighted to announce their plans for the 2014 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). The Pole will contest all 13 rounds of next season's championship with a Lotos-supported Ford Fiesta RS WRC.

Following some inspiring performances in 2013, M-Sport were eager to see Kubica progress his career within the team. The Pole's dominant display in this year's WRC 2 series saw him burst onto the world stage in style, and M-Sport will provide him with a great platform from which to advance his career at the sport's highest level.

Having won five of his seven WRC 2 events this year, there is no doubting Kubica's speed and skill behind the wheel of a rally car, but it is the WRC 2 Champion's ambition and determination which makes him an ideal candidate for the M-Sport squad.

Having made his WRC world rally car debut at the season-closing round in Wales last month, Kubica is keen to develop and build on his experience at rallying's highest league.

Contesting all 13 rounds of next season's championship, there will be a number of new experiences for the 29-year-old including the specialist stages of Sweden's snow-covered countryside and the high-altitudes and soaring temperatures of the Americas.

Of course, there are few drivers who possess the former Formula One driver's desire to succeed, and armed with the Fiesta RS WRC, the WRC community should prepare for the coming of Kubica.

Robert Kubica said:

"I am really glad that I will participate in all 13 rounds of the [FIA] World Rally Championship [WRC] with the [Ford] Fiesta RS WRC. The support of my partner, LOTOS Group, combined with the knowledge and experience of M-Sport will create a solid foundation for my further development and I am looking forward to gathering valuable experience on the WRC stages."

CEO of Grupa LOTOS, Pawel Olechnowicz, said:

"A decisive victory for Robert [Kubica] in the WRC 2 class in 2013 confirmed his extraordinary talent and determination. We are very pleased that we can support such an excellent driver. Robert has consistently pursued further goals and does so with a passion that characterises only the greatest athletes. We believe that next year he will confirm his position amongst the top rally drivers in the world."

M-Sport Managing Director, Malcolm Wilson OBE, said:

"I am thrilled that Robert [Kubica] will be contesting next season in a [Ford] Fiesta [RS WRC]. Since he burst onto the WRC [FIA World Rally Championship] scene earlier this year, we have been very keen to have him on-board and I think that we can expect some great things from him in 2014.

"You only have to look at the way Robert prepared for the 2013 season to see what it all means to him. He has a desire and a hunger which you don't see in many drivers and I truly believe that M-Sport can offer him all the right tools to move forward in rallying."

YOUTH AND EXPERIENCE: M-SPORT CONFIRM HIRVONEN AND EVANS FOR 2014

M-Sport will field a mix of youth and experience in the 2014 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) as the winning potential of Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen are combined with the raw talent and ambition of Elfyn Evans and Daniel Barritt. Both crews will take to the Cumbrian firm's Ford Fiesta RS WRC for all 13 rounds of next season's championship.

The news that Hirvonen is coming home will bring a smile to the face of many a rally fan. Having started his WRC career with the Ford / M-Sport operation in 2003, the Finn enjoyed eight years behind the wheel of M-Sport machinery and was instrumental in securing Ford's back-to-back manufacturers' titles in 2006 and 2007. With fourteen of his fifteen victories claimed with M-Sport's range of award-winning rally cars, Hirvonen's return also provides the team with a real contender for rally wins.

The Finn is hungry for success. Having finished as vice champion on four separate occasions, he was one of nine-time world champion Sébastien Loeb's main rivals and missed out on the 2009 championship laurels by a single point.

As he and Lehtinen return to the team which delivered the bulk of their success, the squad will be keen to see the Fiesta RS WRC piloted to the best of its potential. Since parting ways with M-Sport in 2012, the two Finns remained a popular crew in the eyes of the M-Sport family, and their homecoming brings a real enthusiasm for the season ahead.

Occupying the seat of the sister M-Sport Fiesta RS WRC, is one of rallying's most promising up-and-coming young talents. Evans' breakthrough performance in 2013 saw him elevated to the top of WRC competition. The Welshman showcased some impressive pace in the WRC 2 category, but it was arguably his performance at Rally Italia Sardegna which saw him stamp his authority on the world stage.

A world rally car debut is no mean feat, but when combined with unknown stages, an unfamiliar co-driver and a mere two days of preparation, the youngster's sixth place finish was a revelation which saw him join an elite group of 'rookies' to have impressed to such an extent on their world rally car debut.

Working closely with the team, Evans and Barritt will be given the opportunity to learn from their team-mates' expertise whilst refining their own pace and experience ahead of a prospective long-term campaign with the Cumbrian firm.

In 2005, Ford and M-Sport set out to create an effective 'Ladder of Opportunity' through which rallying's brightest talents might progress to the pinnacle of the sport. Evans provides a near-perfect example of that system in operation.

The youngster started his career with the Ford / M-Sport partnership in 2007, winning the Ford Fiesta SportTrophy series in both the UK and Ireland. Progressing from the Ford Fiesta ST to the globally successful Ford Fiesta R2, it was not long before he was a regular on the WRC stage – winning the 2012 FIA WRC Academy Cup with a dominant display on both gravel and asphalt. The WRC 2 category swiftly followed with some inspired performances behind the wheel of the Ford Fiesta R5, and in 2014, the Welshman will complete his ladder of success by lining-up for a full season in M-Sport's top-specification Fiesta.

Mikko Hirvonen said:

"To be back in a Ford Fiesta RS WRC, it really feels as though I am coming home. The last two years were really good for myself and Jarmo [Lehtinen, co-driver], but although we will take a lot of good memories with us, we didn't necessarily achieve what we set out to do. Joining M-Sport will give us a good chance to try again – a fresh start in a car we know we can be competitive in. We are motivated to win, and we are in the best possible place to do that.

"There are definitely some rallies that we will be targeting. We know that the Fiesta is competitive on every surface, but Sweden and Finland are two rallies that I particularly enjoy. Ultimately however, I want to be in a position to fight throughout the entire season. I want to be a contender for the championship, and at M-Sport, we can achieve that."

Elfyn Evans said:

"It is an absolutely fantastic feeling to know that I will be driving a world rally car for a full season next year! Last year was a real development year for us, so it is great to be able to take the next step in my career and for myself and Dan [Barritt, co-driver] to really progress within the team. The great thing about this programme is that it gives us time. The whole team is behind us and we have a long-term plan to get to where we all, ultimately, want to be. This is just the first step and I am extremely grateful to Malcolm [Wilson] and M-Sport for this opportunity and their belief in my future.

"Of course we are under no illusion that it is going to be an easy year. We need to view it as a learning curve. There are a lot of specialist events that I have never previously contested, and the first half of the season will be about getting to the end of each rally with as much knowledge and experience as possible. Having Mikko [Hirvonen] and Jarmo [Lehtinen, co-driver] in the team is certainly a big positive for us. They know what it takes to win at this level and we can learn a lot from them."

M-Sport Managing Director, Malcolm Wilson OBE, said:

"We have pitched a combination of youth and experience for our assault on the 2014 FIA World Rally Championship. Mikko [Hirvonen] has always been a very popular member of the team. He has done well here [at M-Sport] in the past, and he provides us with the potential to battle for victories at a number of events throughout the year. We all know what he is capable of behind the wheel of a Fiesta, and he has lost none of his ambition and determination to win.

"I am also delighted to announce that Elfyn [Evans] will partner Mikko in the sister M-Sport Fiesta [RS WRC]. I have no doubt that he is ready for this opportunity. Over the course of the season, he proved that he has both the mental strength and speed to learn whilst securing some very strong results. I am looking forward to seeing how he develops, and although we are not expecting him to challenge for any wins this season, his talent could certainly spring a few surprises. We have a long-term plan for Elfyn and Dan [Barritt, co-driver] and this is just the first step along the path to championship success."

Σε 7 αγώνες του WRC ο Serderidis!



Το Παγκόσμιο πρωτάθλημα της νέας χρονιάς, θα έχει ελληνική εκπροσώπηση. Ο γεννημένος στην Καβάλα και πλέον μόνιμος κάτοικος Λουξεμβούργου, Jourdan Serderidis θα οδηγήσει ένα Ford Fiesta R5 της νεοσύστατης J-Motorsport σε 7 αγώνες του WRC-2, ενώ παράλληλα θα έρθει και στην Ελλάδα στα τέλη Μάρτη, προκειμένου να συμμετάσχει στο ERC Ράλλυ Ακρόπολις. Ο Serderidis έκανε το ντεμπούτο του στους αγώνες μόλις πέρυσι...

...οδηγώντας ένα Honda Civic VTi σε αγώνες του Βελγίου, ενώ από τα μέσα της χρονιάς μεταπήδησε σε ένα Ford Fiesta R2, έχοντας ως συνοδηγό τον έμπειρο Frederic Miclotte, με τον οποίον συνεργάζεται και ο γνωστός μας Freddy Loix. Με το συγκεκριμένο αυτοκίνητο αγωνίστηκε στο πρώτο μισό της φετινής σεζόν, αναμένοντας την άφιξη του Fiesta R5, το οποίο τελικά οδήγησε στο Ράλλυ Λουξεμβούργου στα μέσα Ιουλίου, όπου και εγκατέλειψε. Η απόκτηση εμπειριών για τον 49χρονο οδηγό συνεχίστηκε και στον παρθενικό του χωμάτινο αγώνα της Πολωνίας που προσμετρούσε στο Ευρωπαϊκό Πρωτάθλημα. Έχοντας νέα συνοδηγό, δεν κατάφερε να ολοκληρώσει στις δύσκολες λασπώδεις συνθήκες που επικρατούσαν. Δύο μήνες μετά την Πολωνία, εμφανίστηκε για πρώτη φορά σε αγώνα του WRC, οδηγώντας το R5 στα δάση της Ουαλίας, όπου και τερμάτισε στην 32η θέση της γενικής κατάταξης. Το φετινό του πρόγραμμα περιλαμβάνει τους αγώνες του Μόντε Κάρλο, της Σουηδίας, της Πολωνίας, της Γερμανίας, της Αυστραλίας, της Γαλλίας και της Βρετανίας. Παράλληλα, θα έρθει και στο δικό μας Ακρόπολις, κάτι που ονειρευόταν εδώ και καιρό. Να σημειωθεί πως ο Καβαλιώτης οδηγός, συμμετέχει με την Ελληνική σημαία στα παράθυρα, διαφημίζοντας έτσι με τον καλύτερο τρόπο τη χώρα μας!



Ο Έλληνας οδηγός δήλωσε σχετικά με το νέα χρονιά: «Είχαμε ως στόχο να ακολουθήσουμε 11 αγώνες του WRC. Προκειμένου, όμως, να προετοιμαστούμε καλύτερα για τους αγώνες, αποφασίσαμε να τους μειώσουμε και να κάνουμε 7 ράλλυ στο WRC2. Στόχος είναι να αποκτήσουμε εμπειρία και από τις δύο επιφάνειες και να δούμε πού βρισκόμαστε σε σχέση με τους επαγγελματίες οδηγούς. Έχοντας ως συνοδηγό την Morgane Rose, θα τρέξω και στο Ακρόπολις, το ράλλυ της πατρίδας μου. Εάν το Fiesta R5 είναι διαθέσιμο από την J-Motorsport, θα πάμε και στα Rallye de Wallonie, Rallye de Luxembourg και Rallye de la Famenne. Το αγωνιστικό είναι αρκετά αξιόπιστο. Χαρακτηριστικό παράδειγμα είναι ο αγώνας της Βρετανίας, όπου όλα τα Fiesta R5 που εκκίνησαν, κατάφεραν να ολοκληρώσουν αυτόν τον δύσκολο αγώνα. Ελπίζουμε για το καλύτερο τη νέα χρονιά!»

Μπορεί το 2014 να μην έχουμε Ακρόπολις στο Παγκόσμιο πρωτάθλημα, η γαλανόλευκη όμως θα κυματίσει στο εξωτερικό, χάρη στον Jourdan Serderidis. Του ευχόμαστε τα καλύτερα!