NOVIKOV SET TO JOIN STOBART IN MEXICO

The M-Sport Stobart Ford World Rally Team will welcome Russian driver Evgeny Novikov into their Cumbrian-based squad for next week’s Rally Mexico.

Novikov - the youngest ever driver to set a fastest WRC stage time - made his debut in the FIA World Rally Championship at 2007’s Wales Rally GB but was absent from the series last year after spending the season competing at home events in Russia.

The 20-year-old had planned to embark on his 2011 campaign in the new Ford Fiesta RS WRC at Rally Portugal but has since moved this forward in order to build up his experience of competing on gravel.

"For obvious reasons, I am not planning to fight for a high result in Mexico and I am not planning to drive to the limit. It is a wonderful opportunity to try out the new Fiesta RS WRC,” he said.

“I will have a first chance to try the new car at Rally Mexico’s shakedown which I consider as an ideal place to get acquainted with the car. As for the car itself, I feel that it will be better in handling compared to the cars from the previous generations - the results that the car achieved from Sweden were very impressive.

“The new class is a novelty for everyone and everyone needs some time to adapt and get used to the new cars. I have never competed in Mexico, but my co-driver has recommended it to me - fast stages should suit my driving style.”

Novikov, whose best WRC result is fifth from 2009’s Rally d’Italia Sardegna, will be co-driven by experienced Belgian Stéphane Prévot and the pair will be looking to make a good impression on their first outing in Ford’s new challenger.

That was certainly the case with Mads Østberg who finished runner-up on the season-opening Rally Sweden earlier this month,  the best ever finish for a Stobart team car on the WRC.

Østberg will contest the third round of the Norwegian Rally Championship – Rally Finnskog - in a Ford Fiesta S2000 this weekend before flying to Mexico on Sunday.  It will be a new event for Østberg but his pace could easily threaten the WRC front-runners in the high-altitude plains of Central America.

“Sweden was a really good event for me but I don’t think it is realistic to expect the same sort of result in Mexico, “ said Østberg.

“It’s the first time there for us and it’s all about learning how the car handles on gravel at this event.  It’s very important that we have a good recce and after that, I just want to just concentrate on getting through the rally in one piece.

“I’ve got absolutely no idea what to expect from the stages – I haven’t even seen any onboard footage yet so it’s a real leap into the unknown.  I’ll be content if I’m fighting in the top five at this event and if I finish in the top five or six, then I will leave a happy man.”

Regular team-mates Henning Solberg and Ilka Minor have been nominated as the team’s other point-scorers next week.  The Norwegian has a strong track record in Mexico – it will be Solberg’s fifth outing at the Leon-based gravel rally and he has finished inside the top five twice. Last year, Solberg finished sixth overall.

Britain’s Matthew Wilson and Scott Martin finished sixth at 2008’s Rally Mexico and 24-year-old Wilson will be looking to take advantage of the extensive testing he has undertaken in the Fiesta RS WRC on gravel so far in order to finish in a strong position.