Rally of Great Britain : Flying Finn Drives all-new Ford Focus RS into spotlight

Flying Finn Drives all-new Ford Focus RS into spotlight

Gronholm

Les Kolczak

28 November 2008, 2:10 pm

Spectators inside Cardiff's Millennium Stadium for the entertainment prior to the Cardiff Special Stage on Saturday 6th, will be treated to a world-first spectacle - the driving debut of Ford's fastest-ever European production car, the new Focus RS.

Steering the Performance Blue machine will be a man well qualified to appreciate the Focus RS's awe-inspiring capabilities; 'Flying Finn' Marcus Gronholm, former double FIA World Rally Champion and Ford WRC driver.

But this time he won't be in competition. The much-anticipated 160 mph Focus RS, which goes on sale early in the Spring of 2009, will take pride of place in the stadium in a cavalcade of heritage of Ford Rallye Sport (RS) cars - including Fiesta, Escort and Sierra models - stretching back nearly 40 years.

Sebastien Loeb has won Rallye Monte-Carlo for a sixth time following a dominant performance behind the wheel of the Citroen DS3 WRC he shares with Monegasque co-driver Daniel Elena.

Of the 74 starters who began Wales Rally GB in Llandudno on Thursday 10th November, 40 were classified at the end of the four-day,1860 kms rally which featured 23 timed special stages as it wound its way from the North coast to the ceremonial finish in Cardiff.

As this year's Wales Rally GB - the final and deciding round of the 2011 FIA World Rally Championship - draws to a close, Business Minister, Edwina Hart has announced a funding package of £1.4 million for the 2012 event.