TAMING THE BEAST: Aussie WRC Academy star steps up into a full fat WRC Fiesta for the ultimate test session

摘要

It's not every day that you open an email with an invitation to go and test a Ford World Rally Car. I didn't have to think twice and was straight on a plane to England to do something I've been working on my whole rallying career. The last two years I have competed in the WRC Academy cup in a Ford Fiesta R2 which is a production model Fiesta with some handy upgrades from the very successful M-Sport, the company behind Ford's efforts in the WRC since the incredible Escorts. The rally modifications to the R2 are a five-speed sequential gearbox, Reiger suspension, upgraded ECU and AP Racing brakes. The engine is a 1.6-litre but puts out 130kW at the wheels. These mods stretch the buying price out to $75,000.